Hand in Hand into the Darkening Madness
by Secretlypsychotic
Summary: I LIVE! And I'm so sorry about the length between updates. I hope that this chapter makes up for it.
1. Preface

**Hello all! Hey thanks for taking an interest in my story! I've been working really hard on it! Now I have to say some things about the rating, updating, disclaimers etc.**

**Rating:**

**O.K. This story is M. (I wanted it to be a T, but as it went along, it turned into an M...what-ya-gana-do? That's how it wrote itself.) The first 9 chapters are practically clean except for some very, very mild language, but after that, it becomes very violent with, self mutilation, brief adult content as in rape, etc., but mostly for the violence and graphic detail about it.**

**Updating of story: **

**I've so far have written 11, almost 12 chapters, but I will only be updating the story at least once a week. Someday's I have great mental powers and can write up to two chapters in about a day, other times I get severe brain fart's and can't write anything for at least a week but because of my stupidity, I have time to correct the story, change it etc. Also, I want to see what you people think of it and perhaps change anything that may come up.**

**Disclaimers:**

**O.K. You should ALL know that 'American McGee's Alice' and 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass' are NOT MINE! That's a no-brainer by now, but throughout my story, there will some things I will have to explain and give credit to, when things like this come up, I will give you guys the 'heads-up' and will have markings like this: (1) and this: (2) and will have either the expiation and/or the disclaimer at the top or most likely, the bottom of the chapter.**

**Please be kind to me, this is my first fanfic, and also I is a sad pathetic husk of a person trying to make an extension of a classic story written in England in the 1800's...and a fine video game that several imaginative people worked very hard on...take pity upon me.**

**Ok that's it, now go, go read the story and review to your liking! **

Preface

I'm certain that you have read Alice's previous adventures in wonderland, with the nervus White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter; the vicious Queen of Hearts along with the mythic Griffon. Then again in 'Through the Looking-Glass' where she meets the ever unsatisfactory Humpty-Dumpty, the gentle White Knight, and the two childish brothers: Tweedle-Dee and Dum.

All a dream, that's how all the madness is explained in both books, it was all a dream; that Alice dreamt it all and woke on her sister's lap in the first novel, and again in the second story too; that it was merely a berserk yet wonder-filled aspiration of a young girl.

But, was it a dream?

Could a profoundly detailed account of such peculiarity truly have been a dream? Could a child remember not only just the strange and at times frightening accounts so clearly in a dream, but also every conversation, every poem, every tiny detail that only a person who had it actually happen to them, could remember with such earnest and clarity, for years?

Or, did she actually GO to wonderland and experienced all that was written, did she really encounter the ugly Duchess, befriended a grinning cat, rowed down a river with an old sheep and became the third queen of chess...and then narrate the entire account to her sister, her family and then perhaps to Mr. Dodgson?

Perhaps, but what do you reckon happened next?

Come, let us join Alice once again, hand in hand into the darkening madness.


	2. The First Tale of Wonderland

**Disclaimers:**

**Again, I DON'T own, take credit for, profit off of, or had anything to do in the creation of 'American McGee's Alice' (the man's NAME is in the stinkin' title for heavens sake!) and 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. AMA belongs to EA Games™ and...well...I think Alice is in the public domain, but don't quote me on that. **

**Anyway, here's the first chapter of the story and remember, anything with this symbol**: **has an expiation and/or disclaimer explained at the END of the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The First Tale of Wonderland**

(1)"Off with her head!" the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

"Who cares for you?" said Alice (she had grown to her full size by this time). "You're nothing but a pack of cards!"

At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her; she gave a little scream, half of fright and half or anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself (1) back in front of the hedge where the rabbit-hole resided, where her adventures all began.

"Well, how curious," exclaimed Alice, "I seem to be back home." she said with great delight. Alice looked around for her sister, but did not find her by the river bank, where she was before. Alice looked up at the sky to find the sun had moved quite a long way form where it was when she and her sister had came to the river side.

"Oh, dear. Lorina must be looking for me." Alice said in a tone of dismay. (Lorina was her sister) "I'll run home this moment, and show them I'm all right. It's so late though, I hope they won't be too angry with me." She began to run to her house when she heard someone calling her name, it was Lorina, frantically looking for her; Alice ran toward where her sisters voice was calling from (which wasn't far) and soon spotted her.

"Lorina! I'm here! I'm alright!" called out Alice; waving her arms and running toward her.

Lorina looked at Alice and breathed out a quiet sigh of relief, "Alice!, where have you been?!" Lorina said in a hard vexing tone, " I was worried sick! Don't you know not to run off like that! You could have gotten lost! Do you know how late it is, its..." (here she took out her pocket watch and looked at the time.) "Oh, no! Its half-past six! Mum and Dad are going to kill us!" All Alice could do is look down at her feet and meekly shuffle them, she was truly sorry that she had made them late, but then she thought if she just explained just _what_ happened and where she was, then maybe Lorina would understand.

"Lorina, if you let me, I can explain where I have been and tell you all the wonderful things that happened."

"Later, dear, we must get home this instant." With that, Lorina grabbed Alice by the hand and they both headed for home. It was a seven o' clock by the time they had reached home, luckily, instead of their mother to great them at the door, it was their nurse, a kindly old woman who, at least to Alice, had always been there; she was more like their grandmother than a nanny really.

"Oh, there you are! Good lord, where have you two been? The missus has been worried sick! Really, Lorina, you should know better than to run off doing whatever; with your little sister too! Really,"

"But nurse, Alice is the reason why we're late. She had run off you see, and I couldn't find her for several hours, and..."

"You mean you lost Alice! Oh, you poor child!" The nurse had lowered herself to Alice's level and began to look over her in a frantic sort of way. "How are you love? Oh, you must have been frightened so! Oh, oh!" Here she hugged Alice very tightly, nearly squeezing the breath out of her. Then she stood straight again, only the warm, loving voice that she had just spoken with, turned into a very scolding one towards Lorina.

"Well, how could you have lost her? It's not that hard to look after your little sister now is it? Really, Lorina, your going to be 20 next month now, you should know better! She could have been hurt or worse!"

"I, uh..." was all Lorina could sputter out, deeply ashamed for her irresponsibility.

"And you, Alice!" (Nurse now focused on Alice, and Alice did not like being in this kind of situation, who really dose?) "I ought to box your ears for you running off like that! You know better than that!" Both sisters felt like seeping into the earth right about know, each felt rather stupid for their actions.

"But, Nanny, I can explain why I ran off, Lorina was reading her book; I was considering if I was going to make a daisy chain when I saw..."

"Well, well...look who decided to join us this fine evening." Alice and Lorina looked toward the dinning room door, to find their father standing in the middle of it, looking rather happy to see them.

"Sir, the girls..." the nurse started to say, but Henry (the father) simply waved his hand and said in a amused voice:

"It's alright Rhoda. You've chastened them enough for now. We will work out a fair punishment latter, (Here he gave a stern look at the girls, but his small, amused smirk ruined the affect.) but for now, it's dinner time, and the food is getting cold."

So the family gathered around the dinner table and, after a little tilt with their mother, much like with the nanny, sat down to eat their meal. There was the usual dinner talk that families have at the dinner table, such as 'how was you're day' and what not, of course that nasty business about Lorina losing Alice and Alice wandering off did rise up eventually."

"Really mum, she was just at my side, and all I did was read two pages of my book and she was gone! I did call and look for her, honestly! I hunted for her for nearly two hours and I couldn't find her, then from out-of-the-blue, she pops out from the same bushes I had looked in five times already!"

"Well, Lorina, you should have paid more attention now should've you." said Edith, (Edith was the mother) in a very scolding (yet understanding) tone. "You're a grown woman, you should do better in the future. Why, one day, you'll have a family of your own, and it wont do them any good if you just keep losing them now will it?"

"Yes, mother...I'm sorry."

"Now Alice," said Henry in a gentle tone, "you should know better to run off like that, what could have possibly possessed you to do it?"

Here was the moment Alice was waiting for, so she began to tell her family all of her adventures in wonderland that she had experienced, from first spotting the white rabbit taking the pocket watch from his waist coat, up to the trial of the tarts. At first her family was quite amused by the story, but as it went on, they grew more concerned, her sister at first was thinking that she was just making excuses for herself, but then thought it strange that someone would put such detail in a false tale; also the fact that she had only a few hours at the most to contemplate such outlandishness.

Her mother thought the same thing, only she was more concerned on how queer it was whenever Alice tried to recite something, it would come out wrong, and also on how impossible all the things were, and yet Alice spoke about them like she had just gone to a normal day at school. "Perhaps," she thought, "she had hit her head and knocked herself out and had a bad dream."

Her father, however, was more disturbed than all of them. Not only was he just listening to the phantasmagoric narration of his youngest daughter, but he was looking at her face; seeing the sincerity in her face and in her eyes, but that wasn't what disturbed him. When she had finished the tale, Alice sat quietly awaiting the response from her family, it occurred to her however, that they probably would not believe the strange events, after all, she hardly believed them herself.

"Now, dear...that was...an interesting story now," said her mother in a slightly shaky voice, "but honestly, where were you?"

"I've already told you mum," Alice said, not picking up on her mother's manner of voice, "I followed the rabbit down the hole..."

"Alice, that is impossible to happen, all of it." Lorina said in a annoyed tone, "It couldn't have happened at all, none of it. It was a queer story indeed but you shouldn't make things up to make excuses, especially ones that would never pass as truth." Lorina sounded angry and annoyed to Alice, but in all reality, she was more trying to calm herself down rather than put-down her little sister. "Really, Alice...what do you think father?"

Henry was sitting very quietly with his hands clasped together under his chin, and his elbows resting on the dinning table, with a very solemn, very thought filled look to his face, one he rarely showed at home. He inhaled deeply, clapped his hands together and said in a happy voice: "Well, I think it's time we were in bed. We'll work things out in the morning." Here he jumped up and said to the nurse, "Rhoda, take them up to their rooms and help them get ready for bed." Rhoda came in and began to escort the girls to their respected rooms, however, she was rather pale from listening to the story outside of dinning room door.

Later, as her parents were kissing her goodnight, Alice truly began to feel the effects of the day, after all, running around in a strange place is bound to make you feel a little tired now would it?

"Now, are sure you didn't hit your head today Alice?" her mother said, concerned.

"Yes, mother, I'm sure." Said Alice in a yawn.

"Alright now, Alice it's time to go to sleep," said her father in a soothing voice, "and perhaps you'll dream another dream." he said with a little laugh.

"But it wasn't a dream dad, it really happened..." Alice said and then drifted off to sleep.

Her mother kissed her on the forehead and then left the room, to get ready for bed herself, but her father stayed for a few moments more, silently petting her head, looking very solemn again, he was thinking of what disturbed him at the dinner table, he remembered whenever he would visit his doctor friend at his place of work, he always remembered on how his patients had always looked whenever they would rant their mad delusions, he saw it again tonight, and it worried him.

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**Well, there's the first chapter. It seems a little... weak** **to me but I promise, it gets better! I've always wanted a AMA story that bridged the books and the game together, not only that, but gives us what Alice's family life was before...hold on, im skipping ahead...NO MORE DETAILS!!!**

**Oh, and before I forget, Rhoda, Henry, Edith and Lorina are MINE! **

**any words enclosed within the symbols: (1) are from the last chapter of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I put them there to tie the book and my story together...DUH!**


	3. Diamonds, Doctors and Gossip

**Chapter 2: Diamonds, Doctors and Gossip**

It had been a month since Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole, and life was semi-normal in the Liddell household. Mr. Liddell was in his study working, Mrs. Liddell was upstairs, getting ready for a tea party being held at the Smiths, Lorina was also getting ready for the party not for the event itself, more for John, the Smith's son, her...eye had caught him more than once.

Alice was up in her room, playing with her dolls and other toys. Oh, she had the typical china dolls and the paper dolls and pop-up books; a doll house, a play table with chairs and a toy tea set and the like, (most of which were hand-me-downs from her sister's childhood) but her favorite toy was a stuffed, white rabbit that her grandmother had sewn just for her before she died. Alice had never truly known her grandmother but thanked her anyway for the toy that she loved. (For you see, her grandmother died of pneumonia only three months after Alice was born.) The rabbit was in splendid condition, considering on how much Alice loved the thing and where it had been, whenever Alice played anything, that rabbit was right by her side. (She would have brought it with her, when she and her sister went to the riverside, but nanny insisted on washing it.)

"And the first thing Hatter says to me was: 'You're hair wants cutting,' and I said to him with some severity: 'You should learn not to make personal remarks, it's very rude." The Hatter opened his eyes very wide, but all he said was: 'Why is a raven like a writing-desk?'...I do wonder rabbit, (Alice was reciting her experiences to the stuffed rabbit.) Why is a raven like a writing-desk? Im sure it must have an answer to it, everything must have an answer to it, you know."

Alice soon became lost in thought on how a raven was like a desk, ("Perhaps some ravens and desks can produce such terrible notes?" she said quietly to herself.) but was soon startled by Dinah jumping up on the bed to curl up to her.

"Oh, Dinah you startled meཀ" said Alice. Alice picked up Dinah and set her in her lap, petting her gently on the head, all Dinah did was purr to show that she appreciated the attention.

"Dinah, I know that you enjoy me petting you like this, and how gently you purrཀ I wonder why cats purr so gently to show that they are happy, and not smile? The only cat I know who smiles is the Cheshire-Cat. Can you smile like the Cheshire-Cat dear? Oh, I do believe you two would like each other very much, the Cat is such a kind thing, and always vanishing and reappearing so quickly that it makes one giddy. I wonder Dinah, can all cats disappear and reappear like the Cheshire-Cat, now tell me the truth dear, (here she picked up the cat and lifted it to her eye level so the cat would look her in the face) can you do it?" Dinah only slowly blinked for her response.

"Alice dear, you need to comedown stairs. You need to work on your schoolwork." Nanny said, poking her face thru Alice's ajar bedroom door.

"Oh, all right nurse," said Alice in a melancholy tone, "but why can't I go to tea with the others?" Nurse said in a amused voice, "Why, it's a party for grown-ups, and children like yourself would find it rather dull. Besides, you can continue playing after you've done your schoolwork." Rhoda lead Alice down the stairs and into the living room, where she had placed Alice's papers, pencils and books down on the coffee table. Alice begrudgingly sat down to work on her homework, with the stuffed rabbit, who patiently waited for her on the sofa.

Rhoda made her way out of the living room and started to close the door behind her, so Alice could have privacy, but before she closed the door, she turned to look at Alice with a small sad smile, "she really is a good, sweet thing.", she thought. Rhoda then closed the door and headed towards Henry's study to talk to him. When she reached the study, Henry was already out of the room and was in the middle of locking the door behind him.

"Sir, Alice is in the living room as you requested, shall I go and check on the missis and Lorina?"

"Would you, old girl," Henry said hastily, then spoke quietly, "Rhoda, how is she acting today? I've been in my study working all day and haven't had the slightest chance to see her."

"Well sir, she's been continuing talking about that place, today she was reciting the story about the tea party and the grinning cat to her toy rabbit; also about that ridiculous riddle about the raven. Really sir, I'm rather concerned." Rhoda said sadly.

"We all are Rhoda, that's why..."

"Henry, we're going now dear." Edith said behind Henry, startling the both of them. "Henry, are you sure you want to do this? You have been looking forward to this party for quite some time."

"I'm sure Edith, you and Lorina have a good time." Henry plastered on another quick smile, one that wasn't all that encouraging. Edith sighed and turned towards the door where Lorina was waiting. As soon as they had left, Henry turned to Rhoda and said: "Would you go upstairs and ask the maid to clean the kitchen and would you also clean the nursery? I would like to have the chance to talk to Alice alone without interruptions."

"Yes, sir." With that, Rhoda made her way up the stairs to fetch the maid. Henry made his way to the living room, but before he opened the door, he could hear Alice taking to herself, so he stood at the door and quietly listened. She was trying to recite 'How doth the little busy bee' but the words came out all wrong. ( "Just like it did in the hallway." Alice said sadly after finishing it.) Henry then opened the door and walked in to find Alice looking rather sulky.

"Hello dear, how are you coming along on your mathematics?" He said warmly.

"Oh, I can't seem to get them straight father," Alice said timidly, "I can't think of the right answers to them." Henry had picked up her paper and began to study her work, and indeed they were completely wrong. (One answer she had put was that 'eight times thirteen is fifty-two' but the real answer is 104.) "So I though that I should recite something, but that too came out all wrong." Alice's eyes began to fill with tears.

"Now, now don't cry love," He pulled out his handkerchief and gently dabbed Alice's eyes with it, "I'm sure that all of it will come out right soon, you just must be tired, that's all." He said soothingly, but it didn't make Alice feel any better. Henry looked at the clock on the mantelpiece above the fireplace, he still had about five minutes.

"I say Alice, would you like me to show you something in my study?"

Alice perked up at the sound of this, "I've never been in your study before dad." she said, burning with curiosity.

Henry smiled; he and Alice headed toward his study. Alice was fascinated by this turn of events. "Father's study has always been off limits," Alice thought to herself, "he always leaves it locked, even when he's in there. I wonder what is so interesting in there for him." They soon reached the study, Henry unlocked it and they both entered inside the dark room. Alice couldn't see anything at first because it was so dark, all she could see was the outline of the door, and all that was some of the carpet and the front of a desk. But Henry knew were the lamps were and soon had them lit.

The study was very much like a small library, it had many books all around three of the four walls. There was a world globe in the left-hand corner with a large plush chair and a rather large safe in the right corner. Near the center of the room was a working desk, it had several magnifying glaces, a microscope and a pair of glasses. On his writing desk in the free corner of the room was an embosser, a postcard box, a letter holder, a wax seal set, several ink wells (for different colors of ink), a blotter, a footed twine holder, and other items for writing sending mail.

There was many wondrous things in the room that Alice wish to look at but she noticed that her father had headed toward the safe and began to turn the dial. Soon he had the safe open and he reached in side and pulled out a small sack, roughly the size of a golf ball. He walked over to his work desk and set the sack down, then he sat in his chair and said, "Come over here Alice." Alice did as she was told and walked over to him; when she reached him, he picked her up and sat her on his lap.

"Now Alice, do you know what I do for work?" he asked her. Alice thought it over, "You work at a jewelers."

"Well I do in a fashion, but what _is_ it that I do?" Alice hadn't the slightest idea. "Well, I exchange gold and also diamonds. Sometimes, there are so many diamonds to be delivered to so many places, I can't hand them all out and I have to keep them here." here he opened the small sack and poured little diamonds on the table top mat. Alice looked at the diamonds, but was puzzled.

"But dad, they don't look like diamonds at all, they're all ruff and uneven."

"Of course they are, their in their ruff stage. This is how diamonds look like when their first mined, then they are shipped over to me, and then the jewelers use special tools to make the diamonds all shiny and uniformed. And when that is all done, they put them in jewelry or just sell them as is.

"Oh, you must make a lot of money dad." Alice said rather proudly.

"Somewhat, but most of our money comes from the fact that my great grandfather found a silver mine back when he was a young man and that my father was a great business man and parlayed that money into a fortune. I don't have to work if I didn't want to but I enjoy it so much, plus it keeps me occupied and makes it so I can say I do something with my day. Although," he added in a sadder tone, "the savings are dwindling down, after all," he said in a sad chuckle, "I have a very nasty gambling habit..." he left off and ended that topic.

Alice was enthraled by all of this, she then looked at the ruff diamonds and went to pick one up, but her father stopped her.

"Oh, no you can't touch them Alice, they don't belong to us. I have to deliver these to the jewelers tomorrow, so they can cut them."

"Do you own any diamonds dad?" asked Alice.

"Yes I do, and I also have other valuables around the house, like the silverware, and paintings and other things." As he was saying this, he was gathering up the uncut diamonds and put them back into the sack. Alice jumped off his lap and he got up and put the sack back into the safe. Then he pulled out a small box. He then opened the box and said, "These diamonds and other precious stones belong to me and our family." Alice looked in the box and saw numerous of different colored diamonds, along with rubies, emeralds and sapphires, all different sizes and all cut to perfection.

"These stones represent one third of our family fortune. The other two thirds are our house and what is in the bank. You mother thinks me foolish to keep these in the home but I think it is safer here than at the bank." he said confidently, although, Alice wasn't so sure about that.

"Is this why you keep the study locked all the time dad?" she asked.

"Yes, dear. I keep it that way so I know that these are safe," (He put the box back in the safe, then closed it.) "and only I know the combination of the safe." Alice appreciated that he was sharing all this with her, ("But perhaps he has done this for Lorina as well." she thought) but that reminded her about something.

"Dad, why didn't you go with mum and Lorina to the party?" This question caught Henry off guard for a moment, (but it really shouldn't have).

"Ohཀ Well...one of my friends is coming to visit me soon, perhaps after we talk for a while you would like to meet him." He said hastily.

"I would like that very much dad." she said happily. With that, they exited the room and Henry locked the door. They headed back toward the living room, but the footman walked up to them and said:

"Sir, Dr. Barr has just arrived. Shall I escort him to the living room sir?"

"Ah, yes. Please do uh, Rhodaཀ Rhoda could you come down here for a moment please?" (Rhoda came down stairs.) "Could you take Alice upstairs for a few minutes while I visit my friend please." Rhoda nodded and escorted Alice up to the nursery. Henry straitened his jacket and tie, brushed his sleeves and walked into the living room, where Dr. Barr was waiting on the couch.

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At the tea party, all the men were gathered out side talking about the weather, their financial situations, the Industrial Revolution and other family affairs, while the women were inside, still drinking tea and gossiping about things, all the women except Lorina who was talking with John out under the willow tree.

"...I tell you, she is very incarnation of anti-victorianismཀ I say, it truly is a marvel on how far we have gone in technology, how can she not be fascinated as well?"

"Well dear, she is a rather old thing and is quite set in her ways."

"Yes she is; born in 1796, was she not?"

"Why, she wasཀ That would make her...69ཀ My she is an old thingཀ"

"That she isཀ" Edith was quietly sipping her tea while looking out of the window at Lorina and John talking to each other under the weeping willow, this gave her a topic idea for a new conversation.

"Do you girls remember in '51, women out numbered men by 4?" Edith said.

"My goodness yesཀ I was part of that generation!" said a younger woman. "I was so worried that I would be a **(1) **'superfluous women', but luckily, I found Fred." she said rather arrogantly (Fred was very rich and powerful business man).

"I was so worried that Genevieve would never find a husband," said Mrs. Smith (the hostess), "but she found a fine one in George, why we're expecting a grandchild very soon now."

"Oh, isn't it number three?" Asked another older woman.

"Yes it is," she said dreamfully, "only two children of mine haven't been wed, John and...(her voice became shaky and her face blushed) Mary of course...but maybe she has already for all I know, after all, She is in the States and you know how slow the post is." she said very hastily. Here she left off and began quietly sipping her tea. **(2) **(For you see, Mary had become a prostitute an went to the U.S. after her family found out, and to save face, the family kept it a secret.)

"I do hope that Lorina finds a good man soon too," said Edith, "she is still young, but is getting past her glory days, most girls are married and have a family at her age."

"Oh, same with Anne, I can't seem to make her go and meet people." And the conversation went on for ten more minutes; it branched into other conversations, but to save time, (and the simple fact that I don't know what to write...or have the drive to...) It eventually focused on the Liddell family.

"...So...Edith, why couldn't Henry come today?" asked Charleen in a sickly sweet tone. (She LOVED getting into other peoples affairs.)

"Oh, well...an...old friend of his was coming to visit today and he had quite forgotten about it." said Edith, annoyed with Charleen's tone.

"Oh, is that so," she said, with even more sweetness in her voice, "and how is your youngest daughter dear?"

"She's fine." Edith was getting really annoyed by now.

"Oh that's just grandཀ Oh; before I forget to ask...what did you say your husbands friend's occupation was dear?" Charleen asked.

"I didn't say," said Edith angrily, she knew exactly what Charleen was trying to do, "because I'm really not sure. Now if you'll all excuse me." She put down her tea cup, stood up and walked out of the room.

"Well," said Mrs. Smith very surprised "I wonder what all that was about?" Charleen only took a sip of tea and then quietly smirked, knowing exactly what was going on, and all she had to do was explain...

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"And she talks about it so earnestly, but as she is talking she has this vacant look in her eyes. As if she is actually seeing it all over again." Henry sighed very heavily, and put his head into his hands. "I just don't know what's wrong...let alone what to do Denman."

Dr. Denman Cade Barr was quietly sitting in the arm chair, and after he had listened to all of Henry's story, and listened to Alice tell her tale, he was quietly assessing on what was wrong with Alice, but he had a uninterested look in his eyes and he frequently looked at his pocket watch. Dr. Barr was a tall man, with brown hair in his mid thirties, with a honest looking face. He was one of the psychiatrists at the Rutledge Asylum; he and Henry knew each other for several years so Dr. Barr came to help his friend privately.

"Well Henry, after talking to her and hearing your own side of the story, Im sure that it was merely just a dream. And as such that she can...readily recall such detailed accounts of said dream," Dr. Barr said a little arrogantly, "she must be having reoccurring dreams. Dreams that are exactly similar to one another."

"But Denman, she never talked about it before until that day. Also after that, she has had trouble in school, things she knew before by heart are all jumbled up in her mind. And even if it is all just a dream, why would she just keep on about it? I honestly think that there is something wrong." said Henry, angrily.

Dr. Barr looked at Henry a little surprised at the way he reacted. Then he just simply put his watch back into his pocket, stood up and grabbed his hat and said kindly: "Henry, Im sure that this will all pass on its own, we'll just watch her for now and if anything else happens, then we'll do more about it. But Im sure that this is just a simple case of an 'overused imagination'." He said with a smile.

"Now," he said wile putting on his hat, "if there's anything else I can do for you while I'm here?"

"No, no thank you. I'm sorry to trouble you with all this." Henry said disappointed. Dr. Barr picked up the disappointment in his voice.

"Honestly, there's not much more we can do. We will just have to wait and see."

"Yes, I know...it's just hard...and frustrating. Thank you again Denman. I wish to pay you for your services."

"Oh, you don't have to that Henry. This is what friends do for each other, help one another without expecting anything in return."

"No, that would be charity on your part my friend, and I wont except charity." Henry said with renewed confidence, "I wont let you go until your services have been rendered. Please, how much do you want in return?"

"Honestly, you don't have to."

"You wait here, I'll go to my safe in my study. I've some spare pounds in it." he said happily. As he walked to his study, Dr. Barr chuckled to himself.

"Well, if you insist. So Henry, what sort of things you keep in your safe? Valuables, deeds, anything of the like?"

"Now, now Dr." called Henry amused, "you know I wont tell you anything like that. Im sure you have a safe too, and Im sure that you can use your imagination of what I keep in here."

"And uh, what would the combination be on it I wonder?" Dr. Barr said aloud in a joking manner.

"I say, now you're just being just ridiculous." Henry said laughing. Denman laughed too, and he smiled to himself.

**(1)****During the time of 'Superfluous Women' or women who didn't or couldn't find a husband, there wasn't enough men to marry. So many women couldn't and/or never married.**

**(2) Also during the time of 'Superfluous Women' many of the woman of the time became prostitutes, and in my story, Mary is the example. To learn more about this, and other stuff during the Victorian time, visit your local library and/or Google it.**

**MY New Characters:John, Mary and Mrs. Smith**

**Charleen**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**

**They're mine, DON'T TOUCH THEM!**

**(Fred, George, and Anne were just 'one time' characters, so I clam them... but I won't be using them again**.


	4. Through the looking glass

**Chapter 3: Through the looking glass**

Several months passed by; (and after asking Alice to stay quiet about wonderland, and Edith having to dispel horrible rumors Charleen started at that tea party.) things finally began to get back to normal. Alice and Lorina were in the sitting room talking to each other about chess and other things. Eventually, Alice wanted to play a game and said to Lorina:

**(1) **"Let's pretend we're kings and queens."

"Alice, we can't be kings and queens," argued Lorina, (she liked being very exact) "there are only two of us, you see. And since that is, we can't pretend to be more than one person each."

"Why not?" asked Alice, "I pretend to be two persons all the time."

"Yes, and you're queer for doing so."

"Well, _you_ can be one of them, then, and _I'll_ be all the rest."

"Oh, your impossible to reason with." sighed Lorina, who then stood up and walked out of the room.

Alice only shook her head, looked at her rabbit and said, "Lorina hasn't a shred of imagination in her what so ever." So she stood up and left the sitting room as well, and decided to see Dinah's new litter of kittens in the kitchen. As Alice reached the kitchen, she noticed that the help was frantically running about; disarrayed in all the commotion. The housemaids were cleaning the house and the kitchen help were busy preparing several dishes. As Alice stood watching all of them, (out of their way, of course) Lorina walked up to her.

"Don't stand there gawking Alice, and get ready for the party." Alice turned to her, "Party, what party?" she asked.

"Don't you remember that mum and dad are hosting a party today, Alice? You've been looking forward to it for days now." she said placing her hands on her hips, "And another thing, you promised to recite a song or poem today for the guests." she said, raising an eyebrow. "You can't be serious on forgetting, are you?

"Oh, yes I was forgetting." Alice said quietly, "I don't know why but I...forgot...but it's today!" Alice said joyfully. "I shall have to dress up properly!" Alice turned on her heals and headed toward the sitting room to retrieve the rabbit toy, then to her room to dress up for the party. Lorina shook her head in dismay and quietly said to herself, "Oh, I hope nothing goes wrong today, especially for Alice."

Meanwhile Alice had come and gone from the sitting room and was on her way to her room.

"Today's the day Rabbit," she said to the doll excitedly, "today is the day I tell Mr. Dogdson about my lovely adventures. Won't it be fun, Rabbit? I shall have to put on your fancy blue jacket today, and I will dress up in my Sunday dress and apron, and my Sunday shoes, and I'll have to do my hair as well."

Alice was almost to her room when she saw her mother sitting at her vanity in her parents bedroom, putting her hair up in a bun, then making it stay with some hair pins and hair forks. Then she put on a broach on her day blouse, and put on a beautiful goldenrod cameo necklace.

"That's a lovely necklace mum." Alice said walking into the room.

"Oh, why thank you dear," she said, looking at her via the looking glass, "it is one of my favorite necklaces." she then put on a her tea party hat, pinning it down with hat pins, then put on her kidskin gloves with the pleated ruffles.

"Go and get ready Alice, have Rhoda help you."

"Yes mum," so Alice left the room to hunt down Rodah.

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Latter that day, Rhoda was helping Alice get into her Sunday best dress in her room for a party her family was hosting, and she reminded Alice how important it was for her to be on her best behavior.

"Now remember Alice, you have to be polite and courteous to everyone today, this party is very important to your mother so make sure you're on your best behavior." Rhoda kindly told her. Then all of a sudden Alice shouted in Rhoda's ear: **(2)**"Nurse! Do let's pretend that I'm a hungry Hyaena and you're a bone!" Rhoda jumped for two reasons: the sheer volume of Alice's voice and the fact that Alice actually tried to _bite_ her.

"Good lord Alice!" cried Rhoda, "What on earth protested you to do that?!" Alice was also very surprised at her own behavior. Thinking back on it, it was a rude and stupid thing to do.

"I...I'm sorry Nurse. I...guess I wasn't thinking clearly."

Alice would have continued the apology, but Rhoda hugged her so tightly, she couldn't talk very well, let alone breath; at the same time though, it was a very shaky, loose hug. Alice didn't quite understand Rhoda's reaction, but she let her continue to hug her, and so she hugged her back too.

"It's all right Alice, everything is all right." Rhoda said quietly to her, but unknown to both of them, Henry was out side of the ajar door, and heard and saw everything. He just stood still for a time, lost in thought, then he sighed and put on another happy face; came into the room and said happily:

"Well, well...what a beautiful young lady you are today, Alice! Now, remember, on your best behavior now." he said while poking the end of Alice's nose playfully.

"Yes father." chirped Alice, then trotted out of the room. Henry watched her walk down the hall way and down the stairs, concerned. Rhoda then walked over to Henry and whispered to him: "Are you sure about this sir? She's acting...odd again. Maybe we should not let her attend the party."

"No, Rhoda. She's been looking forward to this for days. We'll let her say for a few moments, and then we'll put her back in the house, I wont make her recite anything today. I've already have had this discussion with her mother and the Governess. We'll all watch her."

"Very well sir, but I honestly don't know what will happen at the party, Mrs. Charleen Perkins will be at the party, you know."

"Oh, God I know. She'll try to stir things up, I'm sure. We'll have to watch her too. Why on earth that woman loves getting into other people's affairs, I'll never know." Henry started down the staircase, then paused; turned and said: "In fact, Rohda, when Mrs. Perkins comes take Alice back into the house, knowing her she'll try to get something out of Alice."

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Soon the guests had arrived, tea time had come and gone, and everyone was outside enjoying the weather. It was a nice day, but the older guests could tell that the weather was soon going to change for the worst.

"Ugh, there's going to be snow tomorrow I'm sure," said an old man, "I can feel it in my bones."

"It might snow latter on today," said his son, "look over toward the horizon and you'll see why." Sure enough, even though it was sunny and warm now, dark storm clouds were brewing far in the distance.

"I just simply love the fresh air you have out here," said Mrs. Smith to Edith, "and it's so peaceful and remote! Don't you worry that if something were to happen, you couldn't get any help, I mean, you live out so far away and all?"

"I often at times wonder that myself," said Edith, "but...Henry wanted to raise our family out in the country side, and it really is such a lovely spot that I've grown to love."

Meanwhile, Henry was talking to two businessmen and Dr. Barr.:

"...Because of that, our production rate has increased by 3 in as many months. If the rate continues, by this time next year, we can double our output while earning an extra 6 of what the company earns now." said a business man.

"Well done old chap," said another business owner, "and how is the gem exchange for you Henry?"

"Fantastic! In Africa, they discovered a large new vein of diamonds. That's not all, in fact, I've heard rumors that in that vein, they found a diamond that was the size of a fist."

"My, wouldn't that be something!" said Dr. Barr, "What do you suppose they would do with it?"

"Put it in a museum most like." said the first businessman.

"Well, I asked the chap who owns the mine," said Henry with a smirk, "that if the rumors were true, if I could have the diamond perhaps, as a joke, and he said with a laugh: 'If the rumors are true, then you can have the thingཀ And I mean it, I'm a man of my word!'. I'm sure its just that, a rumor, it would be grand if it were true." he said dreamily.

"I say, who is that chap that your little girl is talking to Henry?" asked the first businessman.

"Oh, him," said Henry glancing over his shoulder, "that's Charles L. Dodgson. He's a mathematics teacher at Christ Church, Oxford. He's a good man, and Alice is rather fond of him."

"I see, and is that you's daughters beau?" asked the same man, pointing toward Lorina and John, both of them sitting on the willow wood furniture underneath a tree "Oh, I beg your pardon sir! That was rude of me, I shouldn't pry."

"It's quite all right. Yes that is her beau, but I don't recognize the other lad with them..." said Henry.

"Oh, that's Mr. Jack Claymore, a young American from Texas. He's here with his father conducing a business deal with my company." said the second businessman, "He and his father will be here for another week. He seems quite taken with your daughter sir."

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"Boy I'll tell you what, England sure is pretty. I ain't never done seen so much green in one place, 'tad wetter than I prefer at home. And these tea parties ye'all have all the time, don't you get tired of them after awhile?"

Lorina could hardly contain her laughter on hearing Jack talk. "(giggles) Mr. Claymore, your accent and your views on our culture is quite amusing to listen to," Lorina said with a smile.

"Oh, don't get me started on the whole accent...er...cultural differences ye'all have over here, I feel like a fish out of water, trying to remember on how to act all proper like, makes me feel all nauseated and such." Jack said while rubbing the back of his neck.

Lorina laughed again, so did John, whom also found Jack very amusing.

"So Jack," asked John, "what brings you and your father to England?"

"Pa's tryin' ta get a cow-hide leather deal over here with some clothing stores. He says that if we can expand our company overseas, it'll make the leather end of our business grow fatter than a sow meant for Christmas."

"So your father is in the leather business?" asked John.

"Yea, leather; along with milk cows, horses, chickens and the like."

"Well," John said, chuckling to himself, "I hope father acquires the deal."

"Do ye'all have any brothers and sisters?" Jack asked John and Lorina.

"I have several brother and sisters," replied John, "one is in the States right now, although, I don't know if she's well..." John said sadly. (For as _we_ know, he knew why she was there and why she wasn't writing to them.)

"I only have one sister, my little sister, Alice." Lorina said while looking toward where Alice was, and her heart sank when she saw Charleen approach Alice and Mr. Dodgson and began talking to them both.

"I beg your pardon, I have to go." Lorina said quickly while running off to find either her mom or dad.

"...What's with her?" Jack asked, "...Was it somethin' I said?"

"No, her sister has been acting very strange as of late. Lorina's been very worried about her, also, she's told me she is to keep an eye on her and to make sure she doesn't talk to Mrs. Perkins."

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"So," said Charleen in a sickly sweet voice and smile, her head cocked at a stupid angle "what are you two talking about?"

"I was telling Mr. Dodgson," said Alice very politely, ignoring her rude interruption and disgustingly sweet attitude, "about my adventures in Wonderland."

"Oh, really!" Charleen exclaimed in a perfect wail like scriech.

"Yes," said Mr. Dodgson very kindly, perfectly covering up his annoyance with Mrs. Perkins, "she has quite the little imagination, dose she not?"

"Oh, I didn't fancy it Mr. Dodgson," said Alice very earnestly, "I really went there."

"OH!" Charleen exclaimed, "Do tell, child." she said with a little sneer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mother...Dad," Lorina called out, 'oh, where are you?' she thought, frantically looking for either one of her parents. Soon enough, she found Edith and ran up to her and began tugging at her arm.

"I beg you pardon mother, but its urgent." Lorina said quietly.

"What is it Lorina?" Said Edith, slightly annoyed on being interrupted.

"It's Mrs. Perkins," Lorina whispered in her ear, "She's found Alice and is talking to her,"

"Oh, Lord," Edith said with an angry sigh, "go find your father, I'll go get Alice."

Lorina turned on her heals and ran off to find her father. Edith politely excused herself from the group she was talking too, and headed toward Alice's small group.

"Alice, Alice darling," called out Edith.

"Yes, Mum?" replied Alice.

"Alice, I want you to..." Edith started to say but was rudely interrupted by Charleen.

"My, my Edith," said Charleen with a huge smug smirk on her face, "why on earth did you keep so quiet about your daughter?! She's so extremely," her smirk turned into a wicked grin, "fascinating."

"Yes, yes she has quite the imagination on her, doesn't she?" Edith said through her teeth.

"But she says that she's _been_ there." Charleen said with a hint of malice in her voice.

"Oh, you know children," Edith said, her temper quickly rising, "their imaginations run so wild. (nervus laughter) uh...Alice, I need you to..." (Here, Charleen interrupted again.)

"Why, are you going to recite for us, young lady?" She said with a smirk.

"Oh, yes I was quite forgetting again." Alice said to herself, "Is that what you're were going to tell me mother?"

"Uh no, no darling I was going to..." (Once again, she was interrupted by guess-who.)

"Splendid! I'll go tell everyone that you," said Charleen, giving Alice a look that would rot your teeth out, "will be reciting for us." then she gave Edith a smug glance and hurried off.

"So little Alice," asked Mr Dodgson kindly, "what shall you be reciting for us today?"

"Im keeping it a secret." said Alice excitedly, "I'll go get ready." Alice said, then scurried off.

'Damn that woman!' thought Edith, 'She knew exactly what to do and sayཀ' She was grinding her teeth when Henry walked up to her side.

"Lorina told me, where's Alice?" He said, "I'll send her into the..."

"Don't bother, its too late. Charleen is telling everyone that Alice is reciting for the party."

"Oh, Lord...(Sigh)...Hopefully nothing will happen. Do you know what she is reciting?"

"She wouldn't say, I hope she gets it right, whatever it is."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soon everyone was standing around, patiently waiting for Alice to begin. Henry was standing on Alice's left side on the back porch, she leaned over to her and whispered: "What are you going to recite Alice?"

"A song dad." She said cheerfully. This perked up Henry, 'Well,' he thought, 'that should be fine. A song is easy enough.' With renewed confidence he said aloud:

**(3) **"And now, our daughter Alice is going to sing for us." Here, he left Alice's side and joined his wife in the crowd.

"What shall you be singing, child?" asked the governess kindly.

" 'The Lobster Quadrille'." sais Alice with a smile.

"Are you sure, dear?" asked Lorina, worried.

"Yes, Im sure." Alice said kindly, and began singing:

♪

" "Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.

There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.

See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!

They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be

When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!"

But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance--

Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.

Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.

"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied.

"There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.

The further off from England the nearer is to France--

Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance."

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?' "

♪

As soon as she was finished, Alice stood waiting for any reaction from the crowd. Everyone was silent for a few moments; Henry, Edith and Lorina felt like running into the house and never emerge again. Edith glanced over at Charleen, whom was beaming in her selfish pride with a smugly smile, but that all washed away when the crowd began to clap and cheer. Alice was delighted that everyone enjoyed the song, and politely curtseyed.

"What a charming girl!" said one man, "An enchanting chil!ཀ" said another.

Henry, Lorina and Edith were confused and relieved at the same time, all pleased that no one was laughing or questioning anything. Jack Claymore walked up to Lorina with a huge grin, and said laughing while nudging Lorina playfully:

"Your little sister is such a doll, Lorina! The way you reacted when..." he stopped in mind sentence, remembering what John said to him. He then smiled softly and said:

"Well, she is cute as a bugs ear, and that's a fact miss."

"Thank you Mr. Claymore, it means a lot to me, truly." she said quietly and sincerely.

"I say Henry old chap," said one man nudging Henry in his side, "your little girl is simply delightful."

"(nervous laugh) Tha-thank you, yes we're...uh...we're both very proud of her." Henry said while hugging his wife around her waist. Edith smiled at the man's complement, then looked toward where Charleen was seated, to give her one of her own smug looks, but to her great delight, she had already left the party without saying anything. While these conversations were happening, Mr. Dodgson walked up to Alice, clapping his hands with a pleased look on his face.

"Bravo, well done! I say, how on earth did you come up with that little ditty, my dear?"

"Oh, I hadn't reached that part of the story, did I? Well, the Mockturtle and Griffin sang it to me."

"Mockturtle and Griffin?" he asked with a large grin.

"Oh, yes. They showed and sang me the 'Lobster Quadrille'. So many other wonderful things happened that day." Alice said dreamfully, "although, sometimes it did get a bit frightening at times."

"Well young lady," said Mr. Dodgson, "Would you like me to write down all of your adventures in a book? That way, you could always look back and remember them like they were only yesterday."

"I would like that very much Mr. Dodgsonཀ I shall have to write you a letter containing all my adventures...but," she thought out loud, "It certainly shall be a long letter, and my hand shall get tired very much indeed."

"Well my dear," Mr. Dodgson said laughing, "I shall be looking forward for your letterཀ"

Here he kissed Alice on her hand and bid her: "Good evening Miss. Liddell, until tomorrow, tomorrow and every day afterward." With that he grabbed his belongings, bid Mr. and Mrs. Liddell good evening and left for his home.

So the party continued, for only a few more minutes because it began to snow. Soon the party guests said their 'thank you's' and 'good bye's' and left for home. A hour later, the Liddell family was settled down in front of a warm fire, Lorina reading a book, Edith knitting, Henry quietly contemplating about nothing in particular while smoking his pipe in the in the large arm-chair, and Alice was playing with Dinah and her two kittens.

"I believe the party went well." said Henry, breaking the silence.

"Yes, it did, better than I could have hopped for." said Edith, with a little smirk, thinking about the way Charleen ran off in a huff.

"Come, let's get ready for dinner." said Henry, standing up with a content smile. Lorina put her book marker in the page she was on, (which was a pressed flower) put the book back on the shelf and left the room followed by her mother, who also set down her worsted. When Henry reached the door, he turned to Alice who was still playing with the kittens, and asked:

"Aren't you coming?" he said with a smile.

"I shall in a while father. Right now, I...just want to think for a few moments." said Alice.

"All right, just remember that dinner is in a hour." Henry said, and closed the door behind him. Alice continued to play with the kittens, but soon grew tired of it and decided to wind up the ball of worsted for her mother, so she picked up an unused, unraveled ball and sat in the large arm-chair that her father had been sitting in, and began to wind up the worsted, while Dinah began to clean the white kitten. But after a while, Alice grew bored (and also quite forgot about dinner) and began to have a conservation with herself, but was startled when she heard a thumping sound. She looked around and noticed that the worsted was gone from her lap, and saw it undone all over the floor.

**(4) **One thing was certain, that the white kitten had nothing to do with it: -- it was the black kitten's fault entirely. For the white kitten had been having its face washed by the old cat for the last quarter of an hour (and bearing it pretty well, considering); so you see that it couldn't have had any hand in the mischief. ...

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**(5)** "I can't stand this any longer!ཀ" she cried as she jumped up and seized the table-cloth with both hands: one good pull, and plates, dishes, guests, and candles came crashing down together in a heap on the floor.

"And as for you," she went on, turning fiercely upon the Red Queen, who she considered as the cause of all the mischief -- but the Queen was no longer at her side -- she had suddenly dwindled down to the size of a little doll, and was now on the table, merrily running round and round after her own shawl, which was trailing behind her.

At any other time, Alice would have felt surprised at this, but she was far too much excited to be surprised at anything now. "As for you," she repeated, catching hold of the little creature in the very act of jumping over a bottle which had just lighted upon the table, "I'll shake you into a kitten, that I will!"

She took her off the table as she spoke, and shook her backwards and forwards with all her might. The Red Queen made no resistance whatever; only her face grew very small, and her eyes got large and green: and still, as Alice went on shaking her, she kept on growing shorter -- and fatter -- and softer -- and rounder -- and -- and it really was a kitten, after all.

" Im back at home...again!" Alice said while looking at the little black kitten, feeling surprised the sudden, rapid changes that just happened. She looked around to make certain that she was truly home again, and noticed the time, a quarter-to-eight, and the sudden memory that she was to attend tea with her family over a hour-and-a-half ago, came back to her. She then put the kitten down and ran out of the room, to run right into Lorina, who had been searching for her.

"There you are, where have you been," she said, annoyed on how Alice just disappeared like that, "we all been looking for you for over a hour, and you missed dinner! Really Alice, where were you?"

"I'm sorry, but I went into the looking glass house Lorina." Alice said, but then realized how stupid it sounded, 'but,' she thought, 'it is the truth, and they can't be as angry with the truth than a lie.'

"'The looking glass house'?" she said with her eyebrow raised.

"Yes. Through the mirror above the chimney-piece."

"...(deep sigh)...Your completely serious, aren't you." she said very tiredly.

"Yes, that's where I've been for several hours, there were the chess pieces and the **(6) **old wasp in the wig and..."

"Darling," she said very soothingly, lowering herself to Alice's height, "I think you need to lay down up in your room for now, and I think you should just skip dinner for tonight." Alice was caught off guard at this.

"Have I done something wrong?" Alice said in a very dismayed voice.

"No dear, you haven't," she said very gravely, while hugging her, "go up stairs and get ready, and when you get into bed...I'll listen to your story, from beginning to end with out any interruptions. And also," she said with a small smile, "I'll go tell mom and dad everything, alright?"

Alice nodded in agreement, then headed up the stairs to her room. Lorina tried to keep her composure in front of Alice, but lost it when Alice closed her door behind her. She had to sit down for a moment, beads of sweet emerged on her forehead. She took out her handkerchief and whipped her forehead with it, then prepared herself to tell her parents the bad news.

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As Lorina was listening to Alice tell everything that happened to her, Henry was busy writing a letter to his good friend, Dr. Barr his study, it read:

* * *

Dear Dr. Barr, 

How are you old man? I wish I could say that things here were fine as well, unfortunately, I cannot. As you may recall, my daughter Alice had been acting very strange as of late; you came and talked with her, along with myself, and you said that you would help if needed again.

I need you now, Im afraid. Alice has had another episode, this time, with the looking glass above our chimney-piece. She believes she went through the looking glass, and into 'a looking glass house'. From what my older daughter, Lorina has told me, she is just as earnest about it as she was about 'Wonderland'.

Please my friend, your presence is most needed and it is imperative that you reply as soon as able.

Your friend,

Henry Liddell, Esq.

* * *

With that, he sealed the letter in a envelope with red wax, stamped with the family monogram, then gave it to the footman and said: 

"Please, take this letter to Dr. Denman Barr first thing in the morning, leave by sunrise, preferably." The footman looked a little irritated that he had to leave first thing in the morning, on the far end of the town, which was several miles away to begin with, but took the letter, bowed respectfully and walked off.

Henry then headed toward the sitting room, to sit in front of the fire place, and to think on what to do next, but Edith caught him in the hallway.

"So, Henry," she said very sadly, "do you think that Dr. Barr will help again?"

"I'm sure he will, he's always been good to me and our family."

"Henry," Edith said in a frightened whisper, "what if he wants to take her to Rut..."

"Don't even suggest such a horrible thing!" Henry said very agitated, "he'll come and look her over, and..."

"Henry, this isn't just something we can coverup for long! I know its bad enough that everyone is starting to ask question's...thanks to that no good woman, Edith said, (with the last bit more to herself than him) "but we have to think about our daughter, not our reputations. She needs help, and covering it up is not going to work, it may for our reputations, but Alice will only suffer in the end."

Henry sighed, "Your right, of course, but...(sigh) I've no idea what to do, other than wait for Dr. Barr's reply, then we can go on from there."

That night, no one had a good nights sleep. Henry and Edith didn't know on what and how to help their daughter, let alone on keeping it a secret for much longer, Lorina was upset on how everything for her sister was turning upside down and inside out, Alice, on the other hand, couldn't sleep because she was remembering everything that happened that day, first the party then her new adventure, truly it was a very busy day, for all of them.

* * *

**(1) This is taken from the first chapter of 'Through the Looking-Glass' from Lewis Carroll's little sidetrack from the story.**

**(2)This too is taken from the same sidetrack of said story and chapter.**

**(3)The idea of Alice singing 'Lobster-Quadrille' for the guests and even the very words that Henry says is from the 1999 NBC television movie of 'Alice in Wonderland', and of course, the song is from the first book.**

**(4)The very beginning paragraph of 'Through the Looking-Glass'.**

**(5)The last three paragraphs of Chapter 9, then both Chapter 10 and 11 of 'Through the Looking-Glass'.**

**(6)The 'Wasp' Alice is talking about is from the omitted chapter 'The Wasp in a Wig'. The only reason it was cut out of the story was because John Tenniel, the original illustrator of the books, as he put it in a letter to Mr. Dodgson:**

"**Don't think me brutal, but I am bound to say that the '_wasp_' chapter doesn't interest me in the least, and I can't see my way to a picture."**

**John Tenniel**

**June 1, 1870**

**So such as there was no picture for the chapter, it was cut from the book.**

**Whew, Six disclaimers! I know it seems pointless for me to say what was original writings of Lewis Carroll, but I want to give credit to Mr. Dodgson for his brilliant work. **

**The only disclaimer I'm worried about is #3, I'm not sure if even giving credit is enough to make it so I can use it...if it isn't I'll find out soon enough and will have to change the story. (Im not worried if I have to change the story, I've already have a backup plan a.k.a. a different version of that part of the story I can insert into the story and make it blend.)**

**I hope you guys are liking my story so far, again any new characters are MINE...well except maybe Mr. Dodgson...who was a REAL man...so...I won't clam him...just in case.**


	5. “I will always have my love for you”

Chapter 4: " I will always have my love for you"

The next day, the footman grumbled as he was getting ready to head toward Dr. Barr's house, thinking that it was to early to bother anyone at this unreasonable hour, especially himself. He was soon dressed and ready to go, so he grabbed the letter, and started for the door, but as soon as he opened the door to step outside, there was another footman (who also looked tired and slightly irritated) was at the door.

"A letter," said the outside footman, "for Mr. Liddell, from Mr. Kellaway."

The Liddell's footman took the letter, bowed and headed up stairs to awaken Mr. Liddell, 'after all,' he thought, with a cheeky smirk, 'why wake up only Dr. Barr today'. After poking Henry awake, the footman gave the letter to him and left to head off to Dr. Barr's house. Rubbing his eyes for a few moments, Henry stood up from the bed to read the letter. As he was reading the letter, Edith woke up and said in a very sleepy voice:

"What is that?"

"It's a letter, from Charles Kellaway, you know the man that owns and runs the mine in Africa." He said, not looking up from the letter.

"But what is it about?" she asked. Henry was silent, ignoring her last question, reading the letter.

"Its about that rumored diamond," he said in disbelief, looking up at her, "its true, its real."

"Honestly?" Edith said, sitting up totally awake now.

"Yesཀ And Mr. Kellaway goes on, saying that its been already cut and marked worth..." He trailed off, turning pale, after re-catching his breath he looked at her and said, "100,000 pounds."

"Your jokingཀ?" Edith said, half in disbelief, half astonishment.

"No, and he says that he hasn't forgotten our "wager", and is sending it to us in the next two weeksཀ" Edith and Henry cried for joy, because that would help put Lorina into a good school, along with Alice, and also they could pay off several loans from Henry's gambling habit, and have plenty leftover for an emergency.

"Today feels like a lucky day," said Henry triumphantly, "I have a very good feeling about our future, things are finally turning around for us," he said with a smile, "_all_ of us."

That afternoon, Dr. Barr was sitting and talking with Mr. and Mr. Liddell having tea with them.

"It was truly good of you to come all this way again so very soon," said Edith, "especially with the weather being as bad as it is, you're a good friend."

"Not a problem Edith," he said with a smile, sipping his tea, "may I ask, where are your daughters? After talking to Alice, she and your eldest simply vanished."

"Oh, Lorina has agreed to help Alice write down all of her "adventures" in a letter and send it to Mr. Dodgson. He said he would turn it into a story book for her." Henry said.

"Do you think it wise, Dr. Barr?" asked Edith.

"I see no harm in it," he said looking at a copy of 'Jabberwocky' that Alice had written for him during their conversation, "in fact, it may help. It may help her put to rest these bad dreams, and help her realize that they couldn't have been anything more."

"But Denman, I don't think..." started Henry, but was interrupted by Denman.

"Henry, we've already had this argument." he said kindly, with that, the topic was ended. Henry and Edith tried to think of a another subject to talk about, then Henry thought of a good one.

"Say, remember what I said at the party, about the chap with the mine and that rumor about the large diamond?"

Denman nodded in agreement.

"Well, it is true, and the diamond is worth 100,000 poundsཀ"

Denman chocked on his tea and had to fetch his handkerchief to wipe the tea off his chin.

"Really, its true," he asked, very surprised, "and, your friend is honoring his bargain? He's giving you the diamond?" he asked very excitedly as if _he_ was getting the diamond.

"Yes, he is," said Edith, "it should be here in two weeks."

"Wonderfulཀ Congratulations to you and your family Henryཀ" Dr. Barr said very excitedly. "Its fantastic news, truly fantastic."

"I have a grand feeling, my friend," said Henry, "that things are going to be different, for the better, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel." All three nodded in agreement, who all gave a little toast, for better brighter days for all of them.

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The next two weeks were very happy times for the Liddell family. Things were finally turning around for everyone. Edith finally worked up the courage to tell Charleen what she really thought about her, and because of this, she gained more recognition from her other friends, who secretly wanted to do the same thing. As Edith was basking in her glory, Henry was working on the family finances with renewed confidence, because they would be soon out of debt, with the large diamond now in his position, which spread through the town like a wild fire, and the best news of all, John finally proposed to Lorina, who accepted.

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It was rather boring, thought Alice, spending all day in the house, she wasn't given permission to go outside to play because of the snow; her mother was worried that she would catch a cold. Alice had practically done everything she could think of in her room, as well in the nursery, so she decided to go downstairs and see what everyone was up to. With her stuffed rabbit in hand, she first headed toward the sitting room, but was soon stopped by Rhoda, with a large parcel in her hands.

"Alice, this is for you. It came in the post today, its from your friend, Mr. Dodgson."

Alice thanked Rhoda for giving her the parcel, then with enthusiasm, opened it like a Christmas present. Inside, was a handstitched book, along with a sealed letter addressed to her. She opened the letter and read the following:

Dear little Alice,

Enclosed is this parcel is the following:

1.Hand-written copy of your first curious adventure.

2.This very letter in which, I presume, you are reading.

3.1,000 kisses, lovingly blown within this letter for you to use at your leisure.

I hope that you find this copy of your story, to be just as fascinating as your "real" one. I have written two copies of the book, one for you, and one for me. This way, we can have something that will remind us both of each-other for years to come. I hope to, soon, have your second adventure for you soon, but for now, I hope this will entertain you.

Sincerely yours,

Charles L. Dodgson Esq.

Alice was delighted on receiving the book, she opened it and thumbed through a few of the pages. She then decided to put in her room, to read it after she was done finding out what her family was doing. As she placed the book on her bed for future enjoyment, she heard someone playing a piano, and the only one in the family who knew how to play the piano was her mother, it was very obvious who it was, so Alice decided to go down again and listen to her mother play.

The piano was in the oval-room, (or is it called a Fenestration Room?...shrugs ) it was a nice piano, one that was in the family since the early 1800's. Edith had been given lessons ever since she was a small child, and her skills had become very sharp. She played a song Alice had never heard before, but it was very pretty so Alice didn't interrupt her playing to ask what it was called. Soon the sheet music had nothing left to continue on with, so naturally, Edith stopped playing, and as she was thumbing through the song book, Alice walked up to her and asked:

"Mum, can you please tell me what music you just played?"

"Anton Rubinstein's _Romance_ from _Soirees a Saint-Petersbourg_."

"It's lovely, can you play it by heart mum?"

"(laughs) Oh, no Alice, its far to long and complicated for me to have memorized it all, at least not yet." she said with a smile.

"Mum," asked Alice changing the subject very quickly, "When is Lorina's wedding?"

"Oh, its sometime in April. Why?"

"I was just thinking on how everything will be different without Lorina." Alice said sadly.

"Oh Alice," said Edith in a soothing voice, hugging her at the same time, "I know that this seems terrible now, but it will get better, as soon as the idea settles in. And Lorina will not be far, she will be living in town, with John, and I know you like John."

"Yes, John has always has been kind to me." agreed Alice. Edith then kissed Alice on her forehead and hugged her again.

"And remember Alice," she said very solemnly, "if you ever need anything, your father and I shall be here for you." Alice spirits were lifted and she felt better knowing that her mother understood her. Alice thanked her, and then politely excused herself from the room to find out what her father was doing. So she walked up to his study and knocked on his door, only to receive no answer. So she started to search the house, only to come up empty-handed. So she decided to ask Rhoda if she knew where he was. She found Rhoda her own room, quietly reading a book.

"Nanny, have you seen..." but she stopped short, looking closer to the book, only to find it a diary, and she wasn't reading it, she was writing in it.

"Is that your diary?" asked Alice, forgetting her manners thrice, once for not knocking at the door, a second time for entering the room without permission, the third was prying into Rhoda's business.

Rhoda looked up violently, Alice had startled her, but she only smiled kindly to her.

"Yes, I've kept this diary ever since I was a little girl, only a few years older than you. I've written in it everyday for almost fifty years."

"How can you fit fifty years in that little thing?" asked Alice.

"Oh, well this is only one of the many diaries I've kept over the years, I have ten in total."

"What were you writing about?" pried Alice, really forgetting her manners.

"Manners girl," said Rhoda scoldingly, "its rude to pry in others affairs."

"Yes Nanny, I'm sorry." said Alice very humbly. Rhoda smiled softly and said:

"If you must know, I was writing about your sister's soon-to-be marriage, and your fathers good fortune."

"Oh, thank youཀ You've reminded me on why I came in here, do you know where dad is?"

"I believe he is in the cellar. I don't know why, but I think that's where he said he would be."

Alice thanked Rhoda again, and headed to the cellar. Alice had only been in the cellar twice, both times with her mom and dad, and it frightened her a little, for it was so dark in there. It took her a moment for her to summon her courage to open the door, and to head down the stairs, there was no need for her to fetch a lamp; there was already a light down in the cellar, because her dad was down there.

Alice looked for her father among the wine racks and other stored miscellaneous objects, but soon found him, crouching in an odd corner of the cellar, where there was only floorboards and dirt. He was fidgeting with the floorboards with a long metal rod; next to him was a sack, soon he pried one of the floorboard loose and he removed it from among the other boards. Here, Alice decided to ask him a question.

"What are you..." but again, she stopped short because Henry whirled around so violently and suddenly with a look of total surprise in his face, it frightened her as well. As soon as Henry saw it was only Alice, he sighed and gave a nervous laugh.

"You caught me," he said with a laugh, "I suppose I look rather suspicious, don't I?" Alice nodded in agreement, he _did _look a little suspicious, ripping up the floor and all.

"What are you doing? Why are you ripping up the floor and why do you have that sack dad?" Asked Alice.

"Come here and I'll show you." he said with a smile. Alice walked up to his side and peered down where he had just been ripping up the floor, and saw that there was a small metal object where there was suppose to be dirt. The metal object looked like a safe, but unlike the one in Henry's study, it only had a keyhole and a handle and nothing more.

"This," he said quietly, "this is has been my secret hiding spot ever since this house was first built. I may have the safe up stairs with important things in it, but this one," he said very slyly, "this one is where I put the most precious things in, and you're the only one who knows where it is now, you and him of course" he said smiling, pointing to her toy rabbit.

"What kind of things?" asked Alice, very exited to know a secret that Lorina and her mom didn't know.

"That's my little secret." he said. Alice then looked at the sack.

"May I ask what is in the sack dad?"

"Yes, it's the large diamond that my friend gave me, along with all of our most precious stones. I'm going to sell them the day after tomorrow, so we can completely be out of dept, and to give Lorina and John a nest egg."

"Why are you giving them an egg, and from what bird?" asked Alice.

"(laughing) Not _that_ kind of eggཀ I mean to say, I'm giving her a sum of money to use for emergencies."

"But, why are you putting those in this safe, and not the one upstairs?"

"No one other than us, knows about this safe, so this is the safest place to put anything valuable in. True it opens with just a key," he said looking at the keyhole, "but I keep the key with me at all times. It's a grand responsibility." Alice nodded in agreement, and looked down at the safe and wished she had a grand secret like this of her own. Henry noticed the look in her large green eyes, and thought for a moment, then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a skeleton key, different from all of the other skeleton keys he normally had.

"Alice," he said very gravely, "I know that you would like to show me that you are a responsible girl," Here, he opened the safe and put the sack in and closed and locked the door before Alice had the chance to look in it to see what was in it. Then to her great surprise, he handed her the key, "and I'm giving you that chance. I want you to hold on to this key Alice, and I expect you to never tell where the safe is, make sure no one gets this key, understand." Alice nodded, carefully putting the key in her pocket. "I'll retrieve it in when I need to get in the safe, but for now, its in your care." he said smiling. Alice felt proud that her father was trusting her with such a huge responsibility, and she couldn't help but smile.

"I promise, I wont tell anyone about the safe and I will watch the key and keep it safe for you father."

With that, Henry recovered the safe with the floorboards, (and it looked as if it had never been stirred before) and they emerged from the cellar, ready to get cleaned up for lunch.

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Later on that day, Lorina and Alice were in the sitting room on the settee, with Lorina gently brushing her sisters dark brown hair. Alice was quietly enjoying the brushing, but something was still bothering her.

"Lorina?"

"Yes Alice?"

"Is this one of the last times you'll brush my hair and spend time with me like this?" Asked Alice in a very sadly. Lorina was surprised at this.

"No, of course notཀ Why would you think of that?"

"Well, mum and dad said you'll be married to John in April, and that you'll be moving out soon," Alice could feel the tears well up in her eyes, "and you and I may never have moments like this ever again." here, Alice did start to cry. Lorina gave her little sister a hug, and said very soothingly to her (just like her mother):

"That is currently not true Alice. Yes, I am to be married in April, but that's many months away, and besides," she said with a smile, "I'll come and visit and we can have moments just like this."

Alice wiped away her tears, "Do you really mean it?"

"Yes, I do. And soon enough," she said, her face slightly blushing, "you'll be an aunt soon enough."

"An aunt?" Alice asked laughing.

"Yes, and I'll need you to help me watch the children."

"But then," Alice said sadly again, "you'll love them more than me."

"Rubbish, I will always have my love for you, just as you'll always have your love for me, and no matter what happens," she said hugging her, "it will remain with us forever. Just like our love for Rhoda and our parents. And no one can take it away."

"Oh, that's lovely Lorinaཀ" said Alice, "just like a fairy tale."

"Well, Im glad you liked it, because Im not going to say it again." she added with a cheeky look. They both laughed and Lorina continued to brush Alice's hair.

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Later that night, Rhoda was helping Alice get ready for bed. She was preparing Alice's bed when Alice remembered the key was still in her dress pocket, so she got up quietly from the vanity and tiptoed over to her dress and retrieved the key. She had enough time to get back to the vanity, but not enough time to hide the key properly as she had planned to (In the vanity drawer), so she hurried and stuffed the key in a small hole that was in the back of her rabbit toy.

"Well Alice," Rhoda said cheerfully, "It seems you've had a busy day."

"Yes Nanny," said Alice, then a thought came across her, "What have you learned in your life Nanny?"

"'What have I learned'?" repeated Rhoda, she looked thoughtful for a few moments, then said, "I've learned that even though you may feel scared, doubtful and even unwanted, your family will always be there to make you feel safe, certain and wanted, no mater the circumstances."

"Is that an important thing to know?" asked Alice.

"Yes it is dear," Rhoda said with grand-motherly love, "now, hop into bed, and I'll fetch your parents to kiss you goodnight."

Alice did as she was told and climbed into bed, without pulling the covers up, that was what her mother always did. Soon enough, her mom and dad walked into the room, with love in their eyes. Edith pulled the covers up to Alice and gently tucked her into the blanket, then kissed her on her forehead and said:

"Good night Alice, sweet dreams little one."

"Good night Alice," Henry said quietly, also kissing her forehead, "remember that we both love you, and we'll see you in the morning."

"Good night mom and dad." said Alice. With that her mom and dad headed out the door and closed it behind them, not before looking back at her and giving her one last smile before closing the door, little did they know that it would be one of the last time they would see her ever again.


	6. Smoke and Fire

**Chapter 5: Smoke and Fire**

It was around two o'clock a.m. and normally nothing unusual happens around that time because usually everyone is fast asleep, but tonight was different. Out in the shadows of the woods, was a man, dressed in black, with black gloves, a long scarf covering his face up to the bridge of his nose, and a black hat pulled down over his ears so the only thing you could see on his face was his eyes, was lurking around.

He eyed the house, aided by the full moon, looking from the mansard styled roof, to the base of the house and even beyond the dwelling, out to the other side of the wood, trying to detect any movement within and around the house. When he didn't see anything, he quietly (as he could on the snow) crept up to the house and began to inspect the windows, all locked. He then headed for the front door, also to find it locked, but he was well prepared for this. He reached inside his pockets and pulled out burglary tools and silently and carefully, began to jimmy the lock, and when he heard a pleasing 'click', he quietly opened the door and entered the house.

The house was very dark inside, the only places you could see properly was where the moon light came in through the windows, so he carefully watched where he walked. He entered in each room, and when a thief usually enters a house, he usually takes what he thinks is valuable then leaves as quickly as he can, but all he did was silently shift things around. He took books off the shelf and place them carefully on the ground, making it look like someone had thrown them, he tipped things on their sides, making no noise as he did this strange task, and once he had finished this, he headed toward the next room to begin the same process. As he was doing this in the sitting room, he accidently knocked one of the lamps off of the desk he was rummaging through. Freezing in his tracks, he quietly listened for anyone who might have heard the lamp break, but no one did, so no one came, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief and continued his work.

When the man reached the study and tried to open it, found it to be locked and he knew, that in here was his _true_ prize. Again, he quietly began to pick the lock and soon enough, opened the door and was in the study, but the only problem was it was completely dark in the room. Confronted with this dilemma, he was forced to light one of the matches he brought with him to help him look for a lamp to light, he found one and soon had it lit. He brought the lamp close to the safe he spied and quietly tried to open it, hopping that it would be unlocked, and...it wasn't. Grumbling to himself, he then set to work the daunting task of opening the safe quickly, and getting out of the house, fortunately for him, he knew how to open safes like this.

Quietly and carefully listening for the tumblers to...er...tumble into place, he soon had two numbers down, and when he heard the third one, he held his breath and turned the handle, delighted that it did move, and he quietly opened the safe...and found nothing. Absolutely nothing, the safe was empty, except for some useless papers, other than that...nothing. He became angry at this, it was suppose to be in the safeཀ He should have had it by now and leave without any confrontations! He quietly began to think of 'Plan B', but as he was thinking, he heard someone walking down the stairs. He blew out the lamp and silently closed the study door, leaving it ajar so he could see who it was, and he knew what 'Plan B' would have to be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhoda had awoken with a strong thirst for water, but wanted to stay in bed because it was warm in it. But her thirst was stronger than her want to stay so begrudgingly, she got up and headed for the kitchen to pump herself some water. With glass in hand, she headed back up the stairs to her bedroom, she took a sip of water as she laid back down, setting the glass on her night stand, and pulling the covers over her again, she was nestled back into bed and closed her eyes and started to drift back off to sleep when she felt a hand cover her mouth. She quickly opened her eyes to see a dark figure standing above her with his one hand on her mouth, the other had one of his sharper burglar tools in it, pointed directly at her jugular vein.

"If you make one squeak," said the man in a low, harsh and hoarse voice, "and do not co-operate, I will jab this in your neck. Understood?"

Rhoda nodded, and soon the man tied Rhoda's legs up and her arms behind her and he gaged her with a handkerchief in her mouth, then tied another around her mouth. He then opened one of her drawers and pulled out several spare handkerchiefs out, and stuffed them in his pockets, and with that, he headed up the stairs. He opened a door to find Lorina fast asleep, and he proceeded to do the same thing to her as he did to Rhoda. Once he finished with her, he opened another door, to find Alice sleeping with her rabbit tucked underneath her left arm, with Dinah sleeping at the foot of the bed. Looking at her, he believed that she would not be any threat to him, and closed the door. Soon he came to the master bedroom, where Henry and Edith were asleep, he then walked to Edith's side of the bed and covered her mouth, which woke her up.

"Wake him." said the man.

Edith nudged Henry awake, then the man in black said:

"If you don't cooperate with me," he said, forcing Edith to stand up so he had his one hand holding her to him tightly, the other with the tool at her neck, "I will thrust this right through her jugular, and don't bother calling for help, I've already taken care of it. Now..." he said with a growl, "...where are the diamonds."

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The mans actions down in the sitting room were starting to unfold. The broken lamp's oil had slowly crept its way toward the fireplace and the warm wood ashes soon set the oil ablaze and because of the books set all around the ground, the fire had plenty to feed on, and soon grew.

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After the man tied up Edith and Henry, he placed both of them in a far corner of the bedroom, he paced nervously and angrily in front of them, he knew if he didn't get what he wanted soon, he would never get the opportunity ever again.

"Where are they? Where have you hidden them?"

"I've already told you, I don't have any diamonds hereཀ" pleaded Henry quietly as he could, fearing that if he raised his voice, he would wake Alice, and she would come in to enquire what was going on, and as the man threatened, he would kill her.

"Liar! I know that you received diamonds todayཀ I looked in your safe, and found nothing, I know that your hiding them somewhere in this house, and if you don't tell me, I'll..." but the man stopped threatening because he saw smoke begin to rise out from underneath the floor boards.

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Alice was having a marvellous dream, an almost perfect re-enactment of the mad tea party in wonderland. But the dream began to fill with smoke, choking her senses, and filling her heart full of dread, and the Mad Hatter began screaming at her:

"Wake up, Aliceཀ Wake upཀ"

She awoke with a gasp, thinking how such a wonderful dream could turn so bad so quickly. But then, she smelled the smoke, and began to worry. She crawled out of her bed, squeezing her rabbit close to her side. She walked out of her room, calling:

"Mom, Dad?"

Then she saw that the hallway was filled with smoke and she could hear a large fire roaring somewhere close by. Then she could here her parents coughing and muttering inside of their room, she ran toward the door.

"Mother, Father?ཀ"

She reached for the door handle, seeing fire lap between the gaps of the door, but her fear for her parents overrode her natural instinct to avoid fire. She opened the door to find that she could hardly see the outline figure of her parents, huddled in a corner of their room, and both started screaming:

"Get out of the house Aliceཀ"

"Save yourself Aliceཀ"

Alice turned to head toward her sisters room when the man who caused all of this emerged from hiding by the side of the door grabbed her arm, and picked her up. Alice, frightened, began to struggle and kick, but could not get loose. All seemed lost for her, then Dinah from nowhere leaped on the man and began to savagely tear at the mans arms and face. The man hollered in pain as Dinah dug her caws into his arms, and he let go of Alice to get the cat off of him.

Alice then ran as fast as she could toward the stairs, but the stairs were completely engulfed in the flames. She then turned to go back but the floor began to collapse beneath her, she jumped, narrowly escaping falling into a pit of fire.

Dinah ripped and roared with all her might at the intruder, but the man ripped off the cat (along with part of his sleeve, leaving his arm exposed) and threw her against the wall, knocking her unconscious. The mans arms were severely bleeding, and horribly and deeply scratched up from the claw and bite marks. His face had been scratched too, by his right eye. He held his battered arm gently, then remembering about Alice, he looked for her and realized that she could only go back to her room, where he remembered seeing a window in there.

Alice had opened the window and was just about to climb out when the man grabbed the back of her night dress with his good arm and started to pull her back. The man had almost had her close enough to grab her with the battered arm when someone behind him grabbed him. He looked down at his feet where someone was trying to pull him away, it was Lorina, she had worked her herself free but was almost completely on fire. Her skin on her legs was bubbling and charring, and her nightdress was almost completely gone. Her hands were still bound together and severely burnt, but she held onto the man, knowing it was Alice's only chance to save herself.

"Go Aliceཀ" was all she could manage to scream out, the pain was intense and the man struggled to get her off him. Alice squirmed free from the mans grip and with all her courage summoned, looked back one last time at her sister and then jumped the two stories of the house, landing in the cold snow below, hitting her head at the same time, stunning her. She could hear her family cry out in anguish and terror, she saw the fire consume everything she once held dear to her heart, everything was just to much for her and she lost conscious.

The man kicked and kicked to get his leg free, but Lorina's grip was firm and persistent but soon she succumbed to the fire, and her grip loosened and he was able to kick his leg free, but not without a price. His ankle had been severely burned from the fire that spread from Lorina to himself. He frantically extinguished the small blaze on his leg and exited the house through the window. He went to jump where Alice had jumped, but he saw from his position on the house, that the fire brigade was coming and would soon be there. He cursed under his breath, wondering how the fire brigade knew of the fire and how they got there so fast. He ran along the roof as well as he could and jumped at the side of the house, and ran toward the wood behind the house, hopping to not be seen by the approaching men.

Alice regained her senses for a few moments, looking toward were the man was running off, and then she heard and saw the house begin to cave upon itself, the structure was to weak to support itself any longer, and as the house fell, so did any hope for her family to have survived. Then she felt someone grab her and pick her up, it was one of the firefighters, getting her away from an on fire support beam that almost had fallen on her, in which she was totally oblivious to the fact.

The men worked feverishly to put out the blaze, but then realized it was just too late to save anything, so they just tried to make sure the fire would not spread to the woods. The fireman who saved Alice took off his jacket and wrapped it around her body, and was saying something to her but she couldn't hear him, she was just looking at what once was her home, but now only smoke and fire was in its place, filling the night sky and surrounding woods with an eery glow.


	7. Rutledges

**Chapter 6: Rutledges**

It had been two days, two long days since the fire. After the firefighters extinguished the flames, all that was left of the house was some blackened beams and one remaining part of the house that didn't collapse, all of which made it look like a burnt skeleton. Some firemen tried to ask Alice what happened, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't respond to them, she was completely stupefied, the men figured that she was in shock and sent her to the nearest hospital to receive medical treatment for the few burns she suffered.

When she first arrived at the hospital, several nurses and doctors treated her few burns and wrapped them in cotton strips, all the while trying to make her say anything, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't respond properly, she couldn't even hear them, she was completely deaf to everything. All of her senses seemed as if they were in a fog; she tried to think of things that use to bring her joy, but even her mind was an utter blank, she couldn't think of anything, and so just stared off into the distance. When one of the nurses brought her something to eat, she only looked at it, for some reason when she look at the food, a large and painful knot formed inside her gut, and she didn't want to eat. She hadn't eaten for the whole two days that she was at the hospital because of constant pain in her stomach, and the staff was beginning to worry.

Alice had regained her sense of hearing, so she quietly listened to the other children and staff around her, some of the other children tried to converse with her, but all she did was continue to stare off into nothing. She heard some of the nurses talking about something, she wasn't sure what, but soon two of them walked up to her, one holding a bowl full of what appeared to be oatmeal, and the other one sat right next to her head. The one nurse holding the bowl, spooned some out and said:

"Now dear, you have to eat something, so open wide." and moved the spoon close to Alice's mouth, but she didn't move a single muscle, she just _didn't_ feel like eating.

"You have to eat," said the nurse gravely, "or we'll have to force-feed you." Alice said and did nothing. The second nurse that was sitting next to Alice's head then reached over and pried open her mouth, then the first nurse spooned the oatmeal into her mouth. Alice did not like this at all, so she tried to resist them the entire time they fed her, but really couldn't do much about it (she really couldn't move herself even if she wanted to), but they still had a hard time with it. Once half of the oatmeal was consumed, the nurses seemed satisfied on what was eaten, they cleaned her chin and face off of the smeared oatmeal, then left her.

Alice was left alone with her thoughts, she assumed that now they may send her to an orphanage, and this terrified her, she remembered that Mable was in one for a year until her new parents adopted her, and she would tell them the most horrible things; she most certainly did not wish to go to one, but she didn't have much of a choice she realized. She wanted to cry, she _wished _she could cry, but nothing happened and so she just sat there until two men walked up to her.

One man she did recognize, it was the doctor who wrapped her head and treated her burns, the other one, she had never seen before in her life. He was a short stout man in his late forties, with a short grey-and-white beard and a balding top, with bifocals so far down his nose, they look like they could fall off any second.

"This is the girl I was telling you about Dr. Howard," said the first doctor, "she's been like this ever since she came here."

"Yes, yes...let's have a look at her shall we." said Dr. Howard.

Dr. Howard, leaned so close to Alice's face, she could feel his hot sticky breath, which smelled like peppermint. He looked deep into her eyes, then stretched one of her eyes open wide to look for something, what she didn't know. Then he tapped her on the forehead for some strange reason, then he grabbed her hand, and turned his back on her so she couldn't see what he was doing. After a second, he looked at her, for any reaction, but she didn't respond to what ever he did. Dr. Howard then reached into his pocket for his handkerchief, to wipe off the blood from the sewing needle prick he made into her hand. Then he stood up and reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pencil, he then lifted the end of the blanket reveling her feet. **(1) **He then placed the pencil directly on top of her big toenail, grabbed both ends of the pencil, took his right and left thumb at the bottom of her toe and then began to pull the pencil down and push his thumbs up, creating pressure on her toe.She felt nothing, nor reacted to it, she just sat there.

"(sigh) Yes, your suspicions were correct Doctor.," Dr. Howard said sadly, placing the pencil back into his pocket, "That should have made anyone cry out in pain. Do you know what happened to her to make her like this?"

"All I've heard was, her family was killed in a house fire, and she is the only survivor. The only reason she is alive is she escaped the house before it fell, it fell before the fire brigade arrived. It's a miracle that the fire chief decided to have a fire drill at that time of night, and at that area as well...truly a miracle."

"Dose she have any possessions?" Asked Dr. Howard.

"She has nothing left in the world, except the nightgown she was in, and that rabbit that she won't let go of." said the doctor, pointing to the soiled rabbit.

Dr. Howard looked at Alice's chart.

"Alice Pleasance Liddell. Oh, god...I knew her father."

"You knew her father Dr.?" asked the other Doctor.

"Yes, he and one of my other doctors were best friends, he was a good man. No wonder why he seemed so quiet." he said the last part mostly to himself

"So, are you going to take her then?" asked the other Doctor.

"Yes, she is far to sick to go to an orphanage. I'll make all the arraignments...now I want to talk to you about..." Dr Howard's voice trailed off as he and the other Dr. left the room. Alice didn't know what was going on, let alone the severity of what was happening.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Jack Lee Malkin looked up at the tall, dark and unforgiving looking building called 'Rutledges Asylum'. He has just finished school and was looking forward to his new career of psychiatry, but the building itself seem awfully foreboding. He was in his mid twenties, earning his psychology degree very early, 'on account of his skill and determination' he would say to everyone. He had short black hair, with brown eyes, and had the appearance of a man who was raised solely by nuns. He picked up his suitcase in one hand and his briefcase in the other. He began to climb the stairs when he heard someone behind him drop something, he turned around and looked to see who it was.

I was a young woman, frantically trying to pick up her cloths that spilled allover the wet ground when her suitcase opened up after it fell. Jack put down his own belongings and went over to help the woman pick up her cloths. As he was gathering the garments, he looked at her and assumed maybe she was a nurse.

"Are you a nurse here ma'am?" he asked with a smile, then realizing he was holing one of her...unmentionables...he lost the smile and quickly dropped the garment.

"Yes, although I just finished school and I don't know my way around here. Are you a orderly by chance?"

"Oh no, no...I...Im a doctor here, I've just finished school as well."

She looked him over, with a smirk. "You look far to young to be a psychologist."

"Oh well, I attained my degree very early," he said boastfully, " on account of my determination, and...uh-oh...look over there. We'd better move." he said, pointing to a coach that was pulling up to the main entrance. Jack and the woman gathered their things and got out of their way, while the two men were dismounting the coach, two doctors emerged from the building, one was Dr. Howard, the other was Dr. Barr.

"Ah! You must be our new doctor, yes?" said Dr. Howard very warmly to Jack, shaking his hand vigorously.

"Yes sir, Im Dr. Jack Lee Malkin."

"This," directed Dr. Howard, "is Dr. Denman Cade Barr, one of my top doctors here, and I am Dr. Ivan Howard, the Superintendent and head psychologist."

"It's a pleasure to meet you sirs, and this is...er..." said Jack pointing to the woman, but since he didn't know her name...he very well couldn't finish.

"My name is Ms. Dorathy Danvers."

"And you must be our new nurse! Welcome, welcome!" said Dr. Howard, warmly shaking her hand

"What's going on here?" asked Jack, pointing to the coach.

"We're receiving a new patient today," said Dr. Barr, "she is the daughter of the late Henry Liddell, who was also my friend."

"What hap..." Dorathy started to ask, but was startled of the sound of the orderlies dropping the stretcher that Alice was on. The orderlies dropped her because a strange cat had leaped on her chest and started to growl and hiss. One of the orderlies grabbed a stick and shouted:

"Away with ya, beast!" and thwacked the cat off of Alice, who then ran off into the bushes.

"I've never seen a cat act like that before in all my life!" said Jack. The orderlies picked up the stretcher and continued their way up the stairs, only to stop to await orders from Dr. Howard.

"Yes, put her in the juvenile wing in the room with Jacob." said Dr. Howard

"But sir," said Dr. Barr placing his hand on Alice's shoulder, "that bed has been filled, why not put her in the room seven, no one is in there."

"Ah yes of course, I forgot that room was filled only yesterday."

"What happened to her?" asked Dorathy looking into Alice's eyes, "She looks just like a sad china doll."

"Her family was killed in a house fire." said Dr. Barr, almost sounding annoyed at the question.

"Oh, the poor dear, she's so young." said Dorathy pitifully. Jack was looking into the girls green eyes, and even though it was faint and quick, saw a flash of terror in her eyes. He looked to see where her eyes were directed to cause it, he looked up slightly.

"Dr. Barr, what happened to your arm?" asked Jack. The one arm that Dr. Barr placed on Alice's shoulder was covered in scratch marks and scabs, "It looks like a cat attacked you."

"Well, yes...a stray cat attacked me a few days ago, its nothing..." here he trailed off and looked into Alice's face, he knew that she wasn't completely catatonic...and he knew that she recognized the scratches on his arm...and that would have to be dealt with soon.

* * *

**Uh-oh! We all know who is antagonist** **is now...were you guys surprised? I hope so, I tried to make it an surprise, yet not...I hope I succeeded**.

**New Characters:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**

**Dorathy Danvers **

**Dr. Ivan Howard**

**Their mine, I claim them. **

**(1) This method that Dr. Howard used, tests patients to see if they have any neurological sensations if they are suspected to be paralyzed. It can be used on any toe or finger, but I highly DON'T recommend you people from doing it, it's VERY PAINFUL! If your dumb enough to try it, don't come crying to me. **


	8. “I’ve chosen you”

Chapter 7: "I've chosen you..."

* * *

Dr. Malkin had just finished placing the last thing in its proper place in his new office. He looked around his office, content at the arraignment. Dr. Howard had already shown him around the infirmary; he wondered which wing he would be assigned to, and to which patients. He secretly wanted a high profile case, one that would test his skills, not to mention make him look good. He was pondering all this when someone knocked on his door. He answered it to find an older nurse (the head nurse to be exact), at the door.

"Dr. Malkin, Dr. Howard wishes to see you in his office." she said in a monotone, cold voice.

"Ah, yes thank you nurse. May I ask what your name is?"

"Mary Maxwell, but you may call me Nurse M." said in a snooty voice.

"'Nurse M'?" asked Jack confused.

"Here at Rutledges, we don't call people by their first names, and in nurses cases, last names." and that was the extent of her expiation.

"Well...er...thank you, can you tell me where his office is?"

"Over there," pointed Nurse M with a scowl, "you should have remembered _that _from the tour." she then walked off to finish whatever she was doing.

"(shudders)_ She's_ the head nurse?ཀ Looked like a freakish cross between a horse and a hawk." Jack said to himself, and walked to Dr. Howard's office. Along the way he met up with Dr. Barr, who was also on his way to the office.

"Hello Dr. Barr, where are you headed off to?" asked Jack.

"Dr. Howard's office." he grumbled out.

"Why are you seeing Dr. Howard, Dr. Barr?"

"I don't know yet, I was summoned, Im sure I've been assigned a new patient."said Dr. Barr with a smile.

When they entered Dr Howard's office, he kindly motioned them to sit in the plush armchairs in front of his desk. After they sat down, Dr. Howard opened a patient file that was already on his desk.

"Now then," he said solemnly, "I've called you both here for an important reason. Dr. Malkin," he said looking at Jack, "I know that you requested to work in the adult wing, on a high profile case no less," he said giving Jack a small look of disapproval, "but we all sometimes, don't get what we want, now do we?"

"But sir, if you look at my marks from the university, you can clearly see..." Jack started to protest, but was silenced by the firm gaze Dr. Howard gave him.

"You may have scored very high in the tests and competed the courses at remarkable speeds, but that doesn't mean you are qualified for any of the high profile cases." He said taking his glasses off, giving him a look like a father gives his son, "I've seen doctors come and go, and I have a talent on knowing where and to whom they are best suited for."

Dr. Barr silently smiled to himself, slightly enjoying the rookie being put in his place, and in a way, Jack really needed to hear it.

"Now then," said Dr. Howard, putting on his glasses again, "I've looked over the 'Liddell case'," he said, turning the pages in Alice's file, then closing it, "and I think I've chosen the best doctor to treat her," (here Dr. Barr put a mock-humble smile on his face, this was the moment he was waiting for.) "that's why I've chosen you, Dr. Malkin, for the case."

Both Dr. Malkin's and Dr. Barr's jaws dropped in unison.

"But sir," protested Dr. Barr, deeply surprised, "not to boast, but I think I'm a little more qualified for her case, not to down-play Dr. Malkin's skills but I have more experience than him and...and besides that," he said almost going into a rage, but was interrupted by Jack.

"I have to agree with Dr. Barr," he said, "I really don't think that I..."

"Were you two not listening to me earlier?" said Dr. Howard, " I distinctly remember saying that I know where doctors should go and to who they should be assigned to. I believe," said Dr. Howard, handing Jack the file, "that _you_ are best suited for that poor, wretched girl."

Jack begrudgingly accepted the file.

"And _why_," said Dr. Barr very annoyed at the turn of events, "was I summoned to this meeting?"

"Oh yes, I want you to watch Dr. Malkin here for a few days, until he gets his 'sea legs' sort of speak." chuckled Dr. Howard. "That is all gentlemen, you may go, I on the other hand, have other matters to attend to."

Both doctors were very disappointed. Jack _really_ wanted have a high-profile case, and Denman wanted to have Alice's case. All three doctors arose and left the office, Dr. Barr left for his own office to fume in his disappointment and anger, but Jack trailed Dr. Howard.

"Dr. Howard, I really must protest. I really don't think that I should have her case, Im not that good with children." he said as a last desperate attempt to get out of it.

"Nonsense, I saw how you looked at the girl when she first came in, and I can tell you, even though you may say otherwise, you may be just what she needs. You have great potential in you; a kind heart rests within you, and I believe that's why I think that you will be the best for her, along with the other children here at Rutledges." With that Dr. Howard turned down another hall and left Dr. Malkin by himself.

He sighed, looking at the file in his hands. This was certainly _not_ what he had in mind...being a child psychologist. He decided to head over to the children's wing to get himself acquainted with the staff members there. On his way, he bumped into Nurse M who was looking for him as well.

"Dr. Malkin, I've been looking for you, come with me." she said in her cold voice. Dr. Malkin walked right behind her, looking around him, noticing for the first time how everything in the building looked so...filthy. The walls, once a cream color, now was a dingy yellow, the tiles were once a forest green, now looking like a swamp moss color, in-between the tiles the grout had turned brown and green due to the mold going in them. Once the floor had a wonderful large green and white tile pattern in it, but looked worse than the walls did. The entire asylum looked like it had a single blind janitor cleaning them.

Soon they reached the children's wing. The wing looked more like a prison corridor, rather than what a hospital should look like. The doors were metal, with a slot in them so you could stare at the poor souls within the cells. When they reached the nurses station, Nurse M called out in a shrill voice:

"Nurse D, come here!" Dotathy came trotting up to them, fully dressed in the nurses uniform.

"Dr. Howard has assigned you to Dr. Malkin here, you'll help him with the patients." she said with the same cold, bossy voice. "Here are the keys," she said, placing a large ring with well over 20 keys on it in his hands, "once your done with them, return them to the front desk. Your patient is in room..."

CRASH!!!

Everyone in the wing turned and looked at a young orderly who accidently dropped several metal bedpans. (...they were clean) The poor man started to pick them up, but the deed had been done, many of the patients had already began to scream and holler, and the head nurse swopped on him like a vulture on a dead animal.

"You clumsy imbecile! Do you _know _how _long_ it will take for us to calm down the patients?!"

"I...I...I'm sorry ma'am." was all the poor kid was able to stammer out.

"It's alright nurse," said Dr. Malkin, bending down to help the man pick up the bedpans, "it was an accident."

Nurse M stiffened up, turning her head a funny angle. "Er...yes doctor. Uh, you..your patient is room 7.", and she walked off to stop one of the patient's from smacking his head against the wall. The young man who had dropped the bedpans was shaking from embarrassment, but looked up at Dr. Malkin and said:

"Thanks Doc. You really saved me on that one."

"Of course, may I ask who you are?"

"Paul Redcliffe. Im...Im an orderly here, I've just started here."

"I just started today, same with Nurse D over here." he said motioning to her.

"Well, I've got to get around to delivering these bedpans to the rooms." said Paul, and with that he left.

"Jumpy little guy isn't he?" said Jack to Dorathy, "Well, would you like to come with me to see my patient? It is that little girl that we saw outside, I've been assigned her."

"You were assigned that poor girl?" asked Dorathy

"Yes," sighed Jack, "I didn't want her but..."

"No I think its wonderful" said Dorathy, "That means I'll be working with her as well, something about her is intriguing. And besides," she said with a smile, "you look like a kind man. I think you would be better than that Dr. Barr, he makes my skin crawl."

"Well, lets get on with it." said Jack unenthusiastically, opening the door to room 7.

* * *

**Yeah...this chapter ends kind of odd...oh, well.**

**Any new characters are mine.**

**I believe an explanation is in order...about the names I have given my characters, and why I gave them those names.**

**(clears throat) Now, as I'm sure that you all know, all names have a meaning behind them. If you look up first names and sir names (a,k.a last names) you'll find out what they mean. I will give the meanings of my characters names and why I picked them...**

**Jack Lee Malkin:**

**Jack: It's my favorite boy name; See 'Ivan'.**

**Lee: means 'doctor' **

**Malkin: means 'untidy' or 'scarecrow', See 'Dorathy'**

**Ivan Howard:**

**Ivan: I picked this name randomly, but it in turn had an interesting affect, Ivan is Russian for John, and in fact Jack also means the same for John, and that is 'godly'...totally by accident, but it connects these two characters together...sweet!**

**Howard: means 'high or chief warden'. Since he is my story's superintendent, well...you know.**

**This is why I didn't pick the doctors name from the game, in which is a name I have yet to pronounce properly...**

**Dorathy Danvers:**

**Dorathy: I picked this name because I wanted to have a 'tie in' with another favorite story of mine: 'Wizard of Oz'. That's why I picked Malkin, get it, Dorathy and Scarecrow? Yeah, its kind of lame...but it works for me! Oh, Dorathy means 'Gods gift'.**

**Danvers: means 'native of Antwerp'...I have know idea where that is...I picked it at random as well...**

**Denman Cade Barr:**

**Denman, means 'Dark'.**

**Cade, is a sir name and it means 'battle'.**

**Barr, means 'dweller at gateway or barrier'. His entire name reflects his relationship with Alice, he is a dark man and he battles with Alice in numerous ways and he blocks her from reaching her goals. **

**Paul Redcliffe:**

**Paul, means 'small'. Paul is a small set young man, he's about 18 in the story.**

**Redcliffe: I picked it because where I live, there are red cliffs in the mountains...I don't think that this is a traditional sir name...and I don't know the meaning of it...if there is one.**

**Mary Maxwell:**

**Mary, means 'sympathy'...the opposite of my character... I have no explanation for her last name, I just picked it. **

**Oh, and FYI: Alice means 'good', and Liddell means** **'dweller by the wide river'**


	9. ‘Case File 42: Liddell, Alice’

**Chapter 8: 'Case File #42: Liddell, Alice'**

Dr. Malkin walked into the room, and saw how depressing it was in the room. The walls were a dingy greyish-cream, the paint peeling off in several places, and on the walls were claw markings from the previous patients. The one single window was barred, making the room look more like a prison cell rather than a hospital room. The bed was simple enough, meaning that it provided a place to sleep besides the floor; the sheets, pillow and blanket had permanent blood and other stains on them. Everything in the room was depressing to look at, especially the girl.

Dr. Malkin pulled up a chair from the corner of the room, sat down in it, leaned over to the girl and said:

"Hello, I'm Dr. Malkin," here he paused for a response from the girl, but since she didn't stir he continued, "and it says here," he said looking in her chart, "that your name is Alice. That's a pretty name Alice...and you have very pretty eyes." he said looking at them and noticing for the first time how green they were, large and wide and very deep.

"Now Alice," he said to her, "I need to examine you. Is that alright with you?"

She didn't respond.

"Nurse, please go fetch an orderly to help with the examine." Nurse D went to get a orderly, but the only one available was Paul, who was down the hall. While Nurse D was getting Paul, Jack quietly looked at Alice's face for any sign of mental activity. He looked at her, reading the chart of other previous examines by her family doctor, she naturally had very fair skin, but since the fire, she was now a greyish-ivory white, with sunken-in cheekbones due to her lack of eating, which made her eyes seem larger than they were already. He leaned in closer, (knowing he couldn't touch her until the nurse and orderly came in) looking deep into her un-blinking eyes, looking for that faint little gleam that had ghosted in them previously. Her eyes suddenly looked at him, and it made him jump, he really didn't expect that.

"You scared me," he said sighing, placing his hand over his heart, "I thought that..." then he looked at her eyes again, they had the same glazed look to them, but something was stirring very deep within them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Alice had made her eyes shift to him, the smoke in her mind was thick, but it was clearer now so she could see who was there. She looked at the man, she looked at his black hair and brown eyes. He looked like a nice man, then she saw out of the corner of her eyes, (she couldn't move them anymore, no mater how hard she tried) that a woman and another man came into the room. The woman started to talk to the first man, she couldn't hear them and it frustrated her. The woman then put her face close to her own, which annoyed her greatly, but then noticed that the woman was looking at her with a warm smile...like her...mom...did... thinking of her mom made the smoke in her mind thicken, she didn't want to become lost in the smoke again! She tried to think of something other than...

She couldn't see the people anymore, she was lost in the smoke again! She tried to call out to them, but couldn't...she tried and tried but couldn't...she wanted to cry...but couldn't. She was so frightened, lonely and confused...she thought that she would be lost in the smoke for evermore, then the smoke cleared, she could see! The younger man was holding her in his arms, he was placing her in a bed, he began to tuck her in...he was smiling sadly, she wondered why he would be sad. Then she saw out of the corner of her eyes the woman had something in her hands, she couldn't tell what it was, it was out of her sight. The woman placed whatever it was at her side, Alice could feel the fuzzy what-ever-it-was against her skin, it seemed...familiar. She thought about it, and realized it was her rabbit! Her favorite toy! It survived the fire...fire...the smoked returned, and completely engulfed her in darkness.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Malkin had returned to his office to write down the physical evaluation of her in the file:

'The patient's burns from the fire were mild. The burns were on her feet, ankles, lower legs, and right palm. (Perhaps from grabbing a doorhandle?)

The bump on her head had not resulted a concussion, and I feel it has not contributed to any affect in her current condition.

She is small for her age, about 0.1 decimeters (3.94 inches) smaller that other children and was, (from what I've read in her medical history) a little thin for her age as well despite her upbringing. But she has lost about 8 pounds in the last week from her time at the medical hospital to the asylum, due to the fact that she is not eating enough, resulting her to be emaciated.

This problem should be handled first, I shall write up a diet for her, hopefully this will help.

Until further study into her 'psyche', this is the most we can do for her.'

He paused for a few seconds, thinking about what he observed from her.

'Thinking back,' he began to write again, 'I don't think she is completely catatonic. Like flashes of lightning, you can see glimpses of thought within her eyes, but then again I could be wrong.'

Dr. Malkin put down the pen and looked at her medical history once more, then rubbed his tired eyes, he then looked at his pocket watch and gathered up the files and placed them back on his shelf then left to go to talk to Nurse D about Alice's diet. She was sitting at the front desk, quietly reading.

"Nurse D, I need to talk to you. I want to bring up the girls weight so I've decided to make up a diet for her, and I was wondering if you would help me in this matter."

"This book I'm reading," she said, "has several chapters about eating disorders. Perhaps if we look..." She began turning pages, but only had to turn about three, "Ah, here we are." She handed him the book and said, "will that be all?"

"Well," he said with a smile, "you could just as well hand me those diet notes you've written there on your pad of paper." He pointed to the notes, "I see we were thinking of the same thing."

"So we have." Dorathy said with a flushed face. Jack started to head for his office again to write the diet down, but was called back by Dorathy.

"I was thinking doctor," she said meekly, "that perhaps some interaction with the other children my prove useful to her...n-not questioning your judgement doctor."

"Hrm...perhaps some social interaction is in order...I agree nurse lets introduce her to the other children and study what happens." then he walked off, headed down the hall for his office.

Dorathy was relieved that he agreed with her, she made a suggestion to Dr. Barr earlier about another patient and he simply told her, 'if you want to help make medical diagnoses, then by all means please go get your doctorate then have ten years worth of experience, then come back to me and suggest then'. It was out of her place to make a diagnoses suggestion, but he didn't have to be so rude. She looked at the clock, (it was midnight) then decided to check on the children. She got up and walked down the corridor to get Paul.

Paul was sitting on a chair at the end of the hallway, assigned the night shift as well as the day shift, and he was very tired; wishing that there would have been another orderly there to help him but as it was he was the only one there. Paul quietly smiled as he noticed Dorathy approach him, he was glad that she was here, not that old buzzard who ordered him about like a slave-driver.

"I would like to check on the children Paul, would you be so kind to come along, since you have the keys and all that?"

He agreed and both were opening the doors, peeking inside, then quietly closing and re-locking them. But every time they opened the doors to check them, all the children woke up and looked very frightened until they saw who it was, then they would settle back down and fall asleep, even the older children and teenagers did the same thing.

"Nurse, it is usual for an insane person to be so easily startled like that?" asked Paul, who was confused at the reactions of the children.

"In some cases, but I've read all the medical files of the children," she said with the same air of curiosity, "and none of them have had this type of reaction before at night...at least I don't think so, I'll ask the head nurse tomorrow." Just then they heard an older boy, about 15 years old, whimper in his sleep. Paul opened the door and both walked in, the boy had tears running down his face, which had an odd expression on it, his hands were clenched so tightly, blood began to come in-between his fingers. Paul decided to wake the boy from his nightmare, so he reached over to the boy and gently shook him by the shoulders and calmly and soothingly said:

"Wake up, its alright...your just having an nightmare."

The boy's eyes darted open, he tensed up and re-closed his eyes, he started to struggle and quietly whimpered between sobs,

"No, _please_...not again! Please no..._stop_!"

"Boy, its alright, its just us..." the boys eyes darted open again actually looking at the man holding his shoulders, "Paul and Nurse D." Nurse D walked up to Paul's side and smiled at the terrified boy. The boy was suddenly relieved, then he started to shake. Paul then started to talk to the boy, but Nurse D wasn't listening to him, instead looking at the one boy's roommate, who was just as terrified as he was, but then relaxed when he saw it was only Paul and her.

After the two of them calmed down the boy, they went back to the front desk to return the keys. Both were very quiet, both disturbed on how all the children were all awake and terrified whenever someone opened the door. Nurse D decided to talk to Dr. Howard and Nurse M in the morning about the strange behavior.

**This is just me saying something from my heart...I HATE THE METRIC SYSTEM!!!**

**...Well I do! Any new characters are mine**


	10. Suffer the little children

Chapter 9: Suffer the little children

Paul had just helped Nurse Q changing the bed sheets in the rooms, he was still very tired from the previous day, last night...and now had to work until 3 o'clock...in the afternoon. 'whoever made the work schedule must be just as insane as the patients here!' he thought wretchedly. He stretched and yawned, he still had other rooms to do, but one of the nurses pulled him aside and told him that he had to go and take the Liddell girl to the activities room for Dr. Malkin. He nodded and headed for her room. He quietly thought to himself as he walked down the hall, thinking of all the children and teenagers in the ward. Of all of them, he found the Liddell girl not only the most interesting patient, but the most disturbing to look at, something about that face and those eyes.

He entered the room, she was still in the same position that she was in when he placed her in the bed, his hand print was still in the blanket from when he pushed himself up from when he tucked her in. He sadly shook his head, he always wanted to work in the medical field, to help people...and he was exited when he got this job, but now...cases like hers were very hard to swallow. He gently scooped her up, with her toy tucked in her arm, and he started for the actives room.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Slowly, the smoke seemed to clear again, more clear than it was before. Alice then realized that it was daytime, and she was in the arms of the one man again. She still couldn't talk but she was happy, he was talking to her and she could hear him.

"Im sure you'll enjoy meeting the other children today Alice." he said happily, then he looked down at her, she still had the deadpan face on, but he pretended that she was awake and talking back to him.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Paul, and its very nice to meet you love." he said with a smile.

Alice's eyes never moved but she could see that she was in a different place, she did see nurses and some doctors, but she could hear different sounds than was at the hospital. She heard people screaming, laughing hysterically, and sobbing. It frightened her, she wished she could ask Paul where she was, but she couldn't. They entered a large room, from what she saw from her fixed gaze, the room had several chairs and toys and color faded rugs in it. There were several children about her age in the room, some drawing pictures while others were playing with some toys and others were huddled in a corner. There were several grown-ups in the room, two of whom she recognized.

"Hello Alice, do you remember me? Im Dr. Malkin, your psychiatrist," he said, "and this is Nurse D." he motioned to her. Nurse D smiled sweetly at her then she said:

"Paul, bring her over here and lets see if she'll stand on her own." He did as he was told, and he gently placed Alice on her feet, and slowly let go of her. He stayed close to her, just in case she toppled over, but she never did. Alice was relieved that her body would stand on its own, but she still wanted to move on her own. Dr. Malkin scribbled some notes on his clipboard, then after Alice did nothing, he motioned to Nurse D, she then in turn walked up to Alice and said:

"Don't you want to go over to the other children and talk to them, or draw something for us?" she asked her. Alice _did_ want to go over to the other children, but no mater how strong her desirer, she remained motionless. The other children were not oblivious to her, not all of them at least, and they _did _look at her, some perpetually stared at her, but they would not approach her.

"Why don't you go over to that girl over there and say hello Victoria?" said a plump, but very kind nurse (lets call her Nurse P) to a girl with terrible burn scars on her face, pointing to Alice. But Victoria shivered and said nervously:

"I don't want to nurse."

"Why not Victoria, she seems like a nice..."

"She's frightening to look at nurse!" Victoria said suddenly screaming, "Her eyes are burning at me, at my face!" Victoria suddenly started to claw at her face and screaming like when her mother poured the lamp oil on her face and lit it on fire. Paul and Nurse P grabbed Victoria and stopped her from scratching her face anymore, but she was bleeding terribly now, so Nurse P and Paul, (it took both of them to hold her from kicking and screaming) picked her up to take her to get her face stitched together again. The other children only looked on, continued their staring at Alice. The other nurses and the other doctors also tried to get them to approach Alice, but all refused and said similar remarks about her eyes, some started to react the same way Victoria did. Seeing that introducing Alice to the other children was a total disaster, Dr. Malkin stood up, scooped up Alice and said:

"We're done here." and he carried her out to take her back to her room. Alice was very sad that the other children didn't like her, she did want to talk to them, and didn't mean to do anything to upset them. But, there's no use crying over spilled milk, so she wondered what would happen next, then she heard Dr. Malkin talking to her:

"I'm sorry Alice, that the other children didn't want to play," he said apologetically, "perhaps maybe more time is needed for them to get use to you, but for now, lets get you back to your cell and we will have a nice talk." Just then, Dr. Barr 'accidentally' bumped into Dr. Malkin, almost causing him to drop Alice, but his grip was firm and he held onto her.

"Oh, I _do_ beg your pardon doctor." said Dr. Barr, then looked at Alice. "You know Dr. Malkin," he said giving him a look of disgust, "we do have orderlies to handle carrying the patients around."

"I was just taking her back to her room, I tried to introduce her to the other children but they were all frightened by her." said Dr. Malkin, ignoring Dr. Barr's rude remark.

Alice was frightened, she recognized the scratches on him and she knew that it was him that at the house that night, and she knew that he knew that she knew it was him. (did you guys get that?...geez, I can't write) The smoke started to return, she didn't want to go back into the black abyss again, with all her might she tried to fight off the sensation of losing herself to the darkness. But it with Dr. Barr glaring down at her, it was very hard.

"I can't imagine _why_..." Dr. Barr said looking at Alice under his breath.

"I'm sorry Dr. Barr, I'm a bit pressed for time." Jack said and he continued on his way to Alice's cell. Jack was getting tired of Dr. Barr's heckling, but he would give him more time to calm down, 'perhaps' he thought, 'he feels threatened by my presents'. He couldn't have been more right, Dr. Barr did feel like he was invading, after all, he did get Alice, and _he_ needed to be able to 'treat' her. Dr. Barr then headed toward Dr. Howard's office, to see if he could work in some time with Alice perhaps, but when he reached the door, Nurse M walked up to him and said:

"Dr. Howard is in a meeting right now, Dr. Barr." she said in her usual manner.

"May I ask with whom?" he said swallowing his anger.

"Nurse D, she wanted to ask him some questions. Your 10 o'clock appointment, by the way, is ready to see you Dr." Then she walked away, not before handing him his clipboard. He sighed, he would have to wait to ask Dr. Howard.

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"And all the children reacted this way Nurse?" said Dr. Howard, concerned.

"Yes doctor. Everyone, the Jones boy especially. I don't know why they would all react the same, have they always done this?"

"No, they have not..." Dr. Howard said very quietly looking worried, then thinking for a few moments he finally said, "I want all of the children to be observed for a few nights, and if this continues further then we'll take the next necessary steps. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Nurse." Then thinking for a few seconds, he said, "Did the Liddell girl react this way also?"

"No, she is still in her customary state sir, she never stirred."

"I see, would you please send in Nurse M for me?"

Dorathy did as she was told, and a few minutes later, Nurse M popped into the room.

"Nurse, I want you to tell Dr. Barr that I want him for the next few days to take the night shift to watch the children, all except the Liddell girl. Tell him that he needs to write down any queer behavior in the children, when they're awake, asleep...whatever. Tell him he may go home to sleep, I want him to start tonight."

"Yes doctor. I'll tell him right now." She then turned to the door, but was stopped by Dr. Howard.

"Oh, Nurse...before I forget..." he said reaching into his desk drawer, pulling out a large parcel, "take this parcel to Dr. Malkin. I've read the letter that came with this and it is requested to be delivered to the doctor treating a certain patient."

"Yes sir." she took the parcel and left the office.

Dr. Howard took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, experience was telling him that something was wrong, something was disturbing the children, but the only thing that would tell that would be time.

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Talking to Alice proved uneventful and it was disappointing to Jack. He really wanted for her to do anything at this point, but he remembered from school, he would just have to be patient. He returned to his desk, holding the parcel that Nurse M practically thrown at him under his right arm. Then he opened it, looking in, there were several smaller wrapped packages within, 'just like Christmas' he thought, then he saw a letter labeled "Read this letter first", so he did as the envelope said and read the following:

'To whom it may concern,

Dear Dr., my name is Charles L. Dodgson, a friend of the Liddell family, especially of the young girl who is now in your care.

It greaves me down to my very core that my little friend is now in those cold walls, and how great her pain is. From what I have gathered, she is indeed catatonic? Please don't reply to that question, I could not bear it if it were true. If that is true, I have enclosed the following information for you to help her:

A copy of her...story that I have written for her, she asked me to write down her adventures before the fire. Perhaps this may help you.

Detailed documents of her family and friends, from what I have gathered as of this date

And 30 pounds, to use for her care. I have decided to publish her story, and from whatever proceeds come from this, I shall give you them, to use for whatever she may require.

I hope that you may find any of this helpful in any way. Please good sir, take good care of the girl, she had...and _has_ people who care for her. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Charles L. Dodgson

a.k.a. Lewis Carroll

"'Lewis Carroll'?...Why would he put that down?" he thought, but not for long, this is what he was looking for! Now he had the means to look into her past and know what and why her parents asked for Dr. Barr's help. He opened one parcel that looked like it contained a book, in which it did, a handstitched copy. He wanted to read the book right then and there, but he still had other patients to attend to. He gathered up Alice's file, placed it back in the file cabinet, then pulled out another file. He then gathered up the proper information, then left his office to see the young girl.

The girl was 14 years old, almost 15 according to her record. She was here because she was having outbursts at home and school, and was suspected to be a binge eater. She had only been here for about six months, but as he was reading her file, it seems when she first arrived, she was a very active outgoing young woman, but in the months she was here, she became reclusive and quiet and was very paranoid when anyone touched her. He then recruited the plump nurse, Nurse P who was with Victoria earlier that day to help him with the girl.

When he and the nurse entered the room, the girl was quietly sitting on her vanity chair, looking down at her feet, deep in thought, but when she heard them enter, she shot up off her chair and sat in a far corner, completely paranoid and frightened.

"It's alright Adelaide, I'm Dr. Malkin...and I just want to talk to you, that's all." he said soothingly. Adelaide then looked up at him and relaxed a little, she said nothing but looked at him with large, sorrow filled eyes.

"It says here that Dr. Barr," he said looking at her with one eye, and noticing when he said that, she stiffened up, "is your regular doctor. But you asked for another one, may I ask why Adelaide?"

"Because." she said softly, not looking at him or the nurse.

"Because, why?"

"Just because." she said louder and more agitated.

Dr. Malkin nodded, he didn't wish to upset her this early in the conversation, so he then moved to another topic.

"Adelaide, would you please come here and sit by me on the bed?" he said. She did as she was asked, but looked very concerned and defensive. She sat at the end of the bed, while he sat in the middle of the bed; her body language said 'don't touch me' because she didn't face him at all, and was very stiff.

"Adelaide, it says here that you don't like people touching you, but you weren't like that when you first came to Rutledges. Can you tell me why that is?" It was a harmless enough question, but when it was asked, she became frightened and very defensive.

"I don't have to tell you anything if I don't wish to do so! I don't have to do anything you say!!" she said very loudly and angry, with tears in her eyes. Nurse P tried to calm the girl by placing her hands on the distraught girl's shoulders, but was slapped by her and told:

"Don't touch me!!!"

"Adelaide," said Dr. Malkin in the same soothing voice he had, "I wont make you do anything you don't want to do," when she heard him say that, she calmed down and looked at him surprised, "so if you don't want to say so right now, you don't have to." Adelaide looked at him with new eyes, she seemed more relaxed and trusting than when he first walked in, but she still carried the chip on her shoulder. Dr. Malkin wrote down what had just happened, then he decided to bite the bullet.

"Adelaide, may I ask why you said 'I don't have to do anything you say'? Did someone make you do something you didn't want to do?"

"Perhaps..." she said looking away.

"You can tell me Adelaide," he said placing his left arm gently around her shoulders, she flinched at first, but allowed his arm to stay, and tears silently ran down her cheeks, "..did someone in your family, or someone here make..." when he said that, Adelaide shoved Dr. Malkin away, with a rage not directed to him exactly, and screamed at the top of her lungs:

"Get out!!! Leave me alone!!! I don't want to talk any more, LEAVE!!!" She screamed, hitting him, not with enough force to hurt him, but she continued to hit him with tears steaming down her face. Dr. Malkin then stood up and motioned the nurse to leave with him, and they both left her alone, curled up in a corner, sobbing. Jack felt bad, making her react in that fashion, but it gave him some clues on why she had become reclusive. He wrote down his findings in her file, and then returned to his rounds.

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Later that night at his home, Jack had just settled in his armchair, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, after he had placed the cup down on the stand next to the chair, then he picked up the book he received in the post earlier. He then sighed, thinking that after he would read this book, and his outlook about the young girl may change. He opened the book and quietly read:

**(1)** "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or conversations?'

So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.---"

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Meanwhile at the asylum, Alice was thinking...or she was trying to think, the smoke in her mind was clogging her ability to think clearly. She tried and tried to think of something from earlier today and even from something from her past, but nothing came to mind. So regrettably, she decided to just lay there and wait for sleep to come to her. She stared at the moonlit ceiling, looked at the peeling and cracking paint, never blinking...she wished she could sigh...she was getting very agitated with this. She just wanted to sleep, but for some dumb reason, she couldn't.

Then something broke the monotony of the night. Someone entered her room. She wanted to see if it was perhaps, the nice man who talked with her earlier, but then was severely disappointed and frightened when she saw Dr. Barr towering over her.

"Orderly," he called out to someone, "come here." A man that she had never seen before walked up to the doctor, waiting for an order from him.

"Go get me a vile of sedative and a syringe. She does not look like she will sleep on her own." The orderly obeyed the command, and returned with the vile and a syringe. Then Dr. Barr said, "You may go, this wont take long." But the orderly said:

"Im sorry doc., but I have to stay here to..." but he then stopped when he heard one of the children screaming his lungs out, while throwing something against the wall. The orderly ran over toward the cell that held the belligerent child, aiding another orderly.

"Perfect timing." said Dr. Barr with a sneer. He then filled the syringe with the proper amount of sedative, then taking a small vile from his coat pocket, dipped the needle into the new vile, then drawing a small amount out of it, then repeated it again with another vile, then he kneeled down by her side.

"Now then," he said smiling a faux smile, "this will make you sleep," he said wile lifting the syringe up past his neck, then thrusting it down into Alice's leg (for the first time, she was grateful that she couldn't feel), then he said very quietly, "permanently."

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"Pneumonia?!" exclaimed Dr. Howard.

"Yes sir, the Liddell girl has a sever case of it, we also think she has Scarlet Fever with it." said Nurse M.

"She began symptoms about two days ago," said Dr. Malkin, "I think we should quarantine her away from the other children, so she doesn't spread it."

"We can't," said Dr. Howard frustrated, "we have no available rooms in any ward! Just...just, burn everything in that room then replace her things if she gets better."

"Don't you mean 'when' she gets better sir?" said Dr. Malkin, but Dr. Howard gave him no response.

"Yes sir," said Nurse M, "shall I burn that rabbit she has, perhaps that's what caused her illness."

"I've already taken it away from her," said Dr. Malkin, "and have had it boiled in water for 7 hours to kill any viral and bacteria that maybe on it."

"Doctor," said Nurse M in a surprised voice, "that may not work, what we need to do is burn the thing to protect the other patients!", then she looked at Dr. Howard, wanting to back her up.

"I would normally agree with Nurse M, however, I have seen the girl with the toy," he said softly, "and I think it may prove disastrous in the future if we do burn the rabbit." Then he looked at Dr. Malkin, "Boil it again. And make sure that only you, Dr. Malkin and Nurse M are the only ones allowed in the room, don't see any other patients until she is well, I...I'll assign other doctors and nurses to your other patients," He shook his head, "how on earth could she have contracted pneumonia AND scarlet fever at the same time...perhaps from the first hospital...", saying that he looked up at Dr. Malkin and Nurse M and said agitated:

"Well, what are you waiting for, go and tell everyone not to go near her room!"

Nurse M and Jack jumped at the severity in his voice and skedaddled out of the office. Dr. Malkin then looked at the time, seeing it was time to give Alice another dosage of medicine. He then put on a face mask and some gloves, grabbed the necessary items, and with Nurse M by his side (also with a mask and gloves), entered her room.

It had been a week since Dr. Barr gave her the infected needle, and Alice was very sick, her only saving grace was she was comatose again. She had a greyish-blue look to her body, her fever was very high, about 40˚ C (104˚ F to myself...and all who hate the metric system with a infinite passion), her body shook with chills, her sweat was making the sheets very wet, she had a chill and shook the bed. Her chest heaved with every breath, every time she coughed, blood and green and yellow phlegm came up.

Nurse M took off the washcloth that was on Alice's head, and dipped it in fresh clean cool water, while Dr. Malkin gently washed her arm, and gave her a shot (he'd normally give her an elixir, but ever since she became ill, she couldn't keep down anything that was introduced to her belly). He looked at her face, her body was giving all the normal signs of one who is ill, but her eyes showed no signs of distress. He silently shook his head with sadness, he didn't know how she could have gotten so ill, so fast. He was silently suspecting foul play, so he said to Nurse M:

"I don't think she caught this from someone in this or the other hospital," he said looking at her arms and face for any clue, "I think someone _made_ her ill."

"But _who_ would want her ill?" said Nurse M, uninterested in his theory. He then moved blanket, uncovering her legs. He still didn't see anything, so he moved her nightshirt up slightly, and found a large red spot on her upper left leg, near her thigh.

"What's this?" he said aloud, catching Nurse M's attention, there on her leg, was a swollen red spot.

"It's probably nothing," said Nurse M, "it may just be an infected spot on her leg."

"It may also be where the she _got _the illness." said Dr. Malkin, but it only fell on deaf ears. He was thinking about his theory, but then was distracted when Alice began to be sick, but as nothing was in her stomach, nothing came up. After treating her for a few more minutes, Dr. Malkin asked Nurse M to feed her something very mild, and to make sure that she would keep it down, then he and Nurse M left the room, she to fetch something for Alice to eat and he to wash up and to write down her sudden illness, and what he had learned from Mr. Dodgson.

'Her 'adventure' in 'wonderland' is one of the most remarkable things I have ever read. It's a fantasy realm populated by talking playing cards and anthropomorphic creatures, where the inhabits of this realm could make any patient in Rutledges look like the very model of sanity. Its turn of events are completely random and at times, the story is fascinating and at other times frightening for her. I've read both 'stories' and have noted in page 10 in this file a list of possible mental disorders.

Her home life was what one would call 'happy' and 'normal', her mother and father's side of the family has some...persons of interest that may have possible mental illnesses of which, I should like to investigate into this in the future. Only slight odd behavior from only 5 members of the combined family but worth studying.

Her sister, Lorina, if she had any mental disorders it never presented themselfs. She was due to be wed very soon, to a Mr. John Smith, but due to the fire and the unbearable loss of his love, I found with great sadness, he committed suicide by hanging himself for public view. I was unable to find his immediate family, from what I heard, they left for America.'

He was tired and decided not to write anymore. He had a lot on his mind, he was told about the children's strange behavior days ago, and he wondered about why they would all act like that, and now that Alice was ill and how fast and severe it was...all of it didn't make much sense. He shrugged his shoulders, and continued on his day.

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It was night, and Alice had regained her senses to her great discomfort. She was feeling miserable, and was wishing she couldn't feel anything again. But she did feel every ache and pain, especially her head, it seemed like it was in a vice. But one good thing came about all this, she joyfully found out she could move again! She slowly sat up in bed, to help relieve the pain in her lungs. She looked around for the first time in her cell, and she realized how depressing it was, bars behind the windows, thick metal doors, but then her head started to spin from sitting up so she laid back down. She tried to get some sleep, but her raspy breathing was keeping her up, but that wasn't the only sound she heard.

It was a quiet sound, so to listen better, she stopped breathing for a few seconds, but she still couldn't make out what on earth it was. Her curiosity burned, and she wanted to find out what was making that sound. Painfully, she got out of bed and walked to the door, but it was locked, so she sat down and put her ear to the door. But the sound stopped, then she heard someone unlocking a door, she really wanted to see what was going on, so with her head swimming, she got up and grabbed a hand mirror that was on the vanity and slid it under the door and angled it so she could see down the hall.

She saw Dr. Barr, emerging from one of the rooms. He seamed...pleased about something. He then opened the room next to the one he just emerged from, and then closed and locked the door. Alice had no idea what he was doing, but then she could hear in the first room, someone was quietly sobbing. Then she could here muffled talking in the room Dr. Barr was in, then nothing...and then she could here...squeaking springs? She had no idea what was going on, her head felt like it was going to explode, and her joints hurt, and her insides were on fire. Then she heard moaning and grunting and sobbing coming from the room, this frightened her, and as quick as it began, it was soon quiet again. Then from what she saw, Dr. Barr came out of the cell, in disorder, his tie was loosened and his shirt collar was up. He then tidied up his tie and collar, then took out his handkerchief and wiped his brow, then turned toward were Alice was.

She quickly withdrew the mirror, and as fast as she could, placed the mirror back on the desk, and jumped back into her bed. She was protected though, unbeknownst to her, and he just simply passed by her room, on to his next victim. She shivered, not just because of the illness, but because what she saw and could hear and what she didn't understand.

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Christmas had come and gone and day by day, Alice received more comfort and care from Dr. Malkin and Nurse M, and slowly but surly, her symptoms became less and less severe, but she soon lost the ability to move again (because of what she saw and other unknown reasons), and she tried to tell Dr. Malkin what happened, but couldn't. Every night, or every other night, depending if Dr. Barr had the night shift, he would enter every room and would do whatever he was doing to the poor children, and Alice (when she was aware of her surroundings) could hear the repercussions of his actions. The children became more and more hostel or more reclusive. All of the staff was baffled, not knowing the truth and the one poor sole who was desperately trying to tell them what was truly going on.

One day, Dr. Malkin took Alice's temperature, and with a smile said:

"Well young lady, I believe that your all better," he said giving her a big smile, "you beat the odds!" He picked her up and said, "Now, lets move you to a new room while this one gets disinfected." He then carried her to another room reserved just for her. He placed her on the nice clean bed, in a sitting position. Then he walked out of the room, grabbing something, then hiding it behind his back.

"I've got something for you Alice," he said then revealing what it was, it was her rabbit...still a little grey from the fire but clean, "its your toy! I've kept it away from you so you wouldn't infect it. He then placed the rabbit on her lap.

"I'm going to get your lunch, I'll be right back." he then left the room locking the door. As he turned to get some food, Nurse D startled him because she was right behind him.

"I'm sorry doctor, I just felt that she would like this to eat." he looked at the plate and it was quite the spread.

"Thank you nurse, I was just going to get her something to eat." he said, then saw Paul approach them.

"Hello, I was just wondering if she's better," he said pointing to her door, "I just got word that she was."

"Yes she is," said Nurse D, "I wanted to see her. Something about her just captures my fancy."

"Yeah, she does the same with myself." said Paul.

"Oh my..." gasped Dr. Malkin.

"What is it doctor?" asked Nurse D.

"She moved on her own." This was true, Alice (unbeknownst to herself) had laid down in her bed and was cuddling her rabbit.

"I placed her in a sitting position on the bed, and now she's laying down with the rabbit in her arms!" All three were very excited, and they all entered the room, looking at her like she would jump up and do a jig for them, but she continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Alice," said Dr. Malkin very close to her face, "can you here me?" He then looked in her eyes, to see anything but nothing came from it.

"Perhaps some food will help her," he said looking at her skeletal frame, because of the illness she had lost a lot of weight, "would you two make sure she eats everything?" he said looking at his help. They agreed, and they began the grueling task of making her eat. Dr. Malkin watched her face the entire time, and saw faint glimpses of consciousness in her eyes.

Alice was conscious by the time they had started to feed her, but that painful knot in her belly was still there and she didn't want to eat. She wished she could tell them that, but they continued to force the food into her mouth. At times she could control her jaws, and she would clamp them down, making it _very_ difficult for poor Paul and Dorathy. Dr. Malkin decided to try an experiment, he quietly walked around past Paul's side, just out of Alice's sight and unnoticed by all three, and at the top of his lungs shouted:

"ALICE!"

Paul and Dorathy jumped right out of their shoes, but with no reaction from Alice.

"Ah-ha!" He said with a smile, "I think she's conscious! Alice, can you understand me? Blink twice if you can and once if you can't." Alice _would_ have, but she just couldn't make her body move when she wanted to, yes she could move, but not in the proper times. She tried and tried to blink but nothing happened.

Jack then rubbed his chin, "Perhaps she is conscious, but she just can't move and react...perhaps it will do her good if we take her to see other people, but for now," he said to her, giving her a stern look, not knowing if she was or wasn't coherent, "eat your food properly." After he said that, both Paul and Dorathy noticed that it was easier to feed her, not by much, but easier none the less.

Later on that day, Dorathy was wheeling Alice in a wheelchair down the hallway, back to the activities room. Paul was already there, along with Dr. Malkin, when Dorathy and Alice entered the room, Paul walked up to them and lowered himself to Alice's seated height and said very happily:

"Look Alice, there are some children for you to meet," Alice had caught the children out of the corner of her eyes, and saw how pale and frightened they looked at her, "why don't we go over to them and say 'hello'?" With that, Paul stood her up and took her by her left hand (her rabbit was in her right), and they approached the other children. When Paul and Alice was about four feet from the children, Paul left her side and joined Dr. Malkin's and Dorathy's side.

The children quietly stared at her, not as frightened when they first saw her but frightened none the less. Finally one boy, a little older that her, slowly approached her and asked very meekly:

"Is that yours?" he asked Alice, pointing to her rabbit, but received no reply from her.

"Why are you so skinny?" he asked, but received no answer from her again.

"She was very sick a few days ago, and lost a lot of weight." said Nurse D. The other children soon approached her as well, including Victoria and even the older children. One sixteen year old boy asked Dr. Malkin:

"What happened to her? She's...frightening to look at."

"Her family was killed in a fire accident." said Jack.

Accident...accident? Accident! It was no accident, it was Dr. Barr's fault! All of it! Her family's death, her being here, making her sick...all his fault!!! She had never been more angry in all her life, but from the look on her face, you couldn't tell, but the children did. The children suddenly backed away from her, surprising the medical staff, then out of the blue, they all wanted to go back to their cells, they _begged_ to go back, and it took all of the medical staff in the room to calm the children down. Alice did not realize the commotion she had caused because as she was thinking these thoughts, the smoke had returned and consumed her once again.

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She opened her eyes, very surprised to find herself inside her room again, and also that it was nighttime as well. She didn't feel angry anymore, but she was saddened that she didn't remember spending any time with the others, she didn't even know how long she was out. But just then, she could here someone walking down the hall, just one person; she knew what that meant, Dr. Barr was going to hurt the others again. But to her horror, he entered _her_ room first. She had no idea what would happen to her now. He looked right at her and said:

"Hello Alice, how are we feeling this evening? Alright I hope?" He slowly approached her bed and slowly sat down at the foot of her bed. She wanted to call out for help, but couldn't.

"You know," he said not looking at her but at his pocket watch, "I've been a doctor for a number of years and I can tell that you are fully aware of me right now," he said closing his watch, "and I also know that you know all my secrets, and I know you have a little secret too."

Alice could only watch on, she tried to scream, to run, but her body was not listening to reason.

"There are many secrets in this world, some of which are revealed at a certain time in our lives. I've shared a very special one with all of the children here...now," he said looking at her with a wicked grin and undoing his belt, "I'm going to share it with you." Alice had no idea what he was doing or going to do, she was completely frightened and couldn't to a thing about it.

He reached over to her, pulled down the sheets, reached for her and...

**Wondering what happens...well, TOO BAD...Mwah, ha, ha! You wont find out until the next update! (More evil and maniacal laughter) What do you think happens? **

**_Cliffhangers_: got-to-love-'em!** **_HA!_**

**Oh, any new characters are mine.**

**(1)First two paragraphs of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.**


	11. First, do no harm

**Chapter 10: First, do no harm**

...then he stopped because of the screaming. Horrible, loud wailing screaming. So loud that Dr. Barr jumped and spun around, to look if someone was at the door. It just wasn't one person screaming no, it was several people screaming, all of the children and teenagers were screaming. It caught all the staffs attention, even the ones on the other side of the building. Nurses and orderlies and doctors who were there to watch things began to check on the screaming children, only to witness sheer horror.

All of the children were mutilating and killing themselfs in the most horrific ways. One boy had began to slash his wrists and arms and legs and tongue with broken glass from the windows, another older girl was gouging out her own eyes with her own hands, other children were trying to kill each other with broken glass and mirrors and when the orderlies and nurses (including Dr. Malkin) tried to separate them, they just slit their own throats or they would thrust the shards into their jugular veins. No one noticed that Dr. Barr exited Alice's room, and they certainly didn't see her slowly walk into the hallway to see the horror of everything, everyone was too busy with the suicidal children.

Blood began too poor out beneath one door, and a nurse frantically tried to open the door, but when she did it was far to late to do anything. In that room were two boys in their late teens, both dead. One had mutilated himself until he died, and the other boy hung his dead roommate upside down from the light fixtures and beheaded the corpse, his blood ran like a waterfall, and the one who did this had taken his own life with a broken mirror; he himself also had hung himself to dangle, for his own blood to fall. The nurse then closed the door out of sheer disgust and horror, and tried not to be sick.

The one girl who had gouged out her eyes was now blindly writing nonsense on the wall with her own blood and the blood of others, other children where running full kilter toward the walls, then before they reached the wall, they would lower their own heads (much like a charging bull) and ran head on into the wall, killing themselfs. Alice just stood there in the middle of the hallway, invisible to all around her, she was frightened and confused, not knowing what was going on and why. Alice looked into one of the open doors and saw the one boy who had approached her in the activities room, he was done fastening a rope he had fastened from bedspreads into a hangman's knot. He then flung it over the light fixtures and then he tied the free end to the bars in the window, then he quietly placed the tall desk beneath the rope, stood on the desk, and put the loop around his neck.

Alice quietly watched and studied the boy, he had certainly mutilated himself, in horrific ways, blood was streaming out of his mouth, cuts and abrasions all over his body, his cloths were blood soaked. His eyes were vacant, blank and emotionless, but when he was about to jump and end his life, he looked at the pale girl and paused for a moment. Both looked at each other, both bewildered at the sight of what they were looking at. They looked at each other for only for a few seconds, but to them, it was hours. I honestly don't know what they were thinking at the time, or if they even were, but I'm sure that they were thinking the same thing. And then without breaking eye contact, the boy stepped off the desk, and he died instantly, hanging there with the same expression on his face as he stepped of the desk, blank and emotionless.

Alice just stood there, watching the boy's corps dangling much like a Christmas tree figurine. She then slowly looked around the blood drenched hallways again, blood dripping off the walls, bodies lying in pools of blood and intestines. No one should ever have to witness such a terrible sight, but here was a small seven year old girl who would have run and cowered in a corner like a normal girl would have done, but she just stood there calmly like nothing was happening. Then the halls were silent. All the children in the children ward were dead by suicide. For a few moments, there was hardly any noise of any kind through out the entire asylum, not one word was spoken, every person, sane or not, was quiet. But then the other inmates began their insane crying and babbling once more and all the staff members in the child ward began the grossum task of cleaning up the bodies and blood.

Dorathy walked slowly down the hallways, trying not to slip on blood or a dismembered eye, silently looking at the horror. She truly believed all the children were dead, then she spotted Alice, standing in a river of blood, looking down the hall. She trotted over to her and picked her up, hugging her like a mother would do with her own child, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, thank God! Oh, thank you merciful God! Your all right Alice!"

The other staff members looked up and saw Dorathy embracing the single child left alive, and it brought some relief to their harts and minds, but it wouldn't change what happened. Dr. Howard and several other doctors who were from the other wings entered the hall and stopped dead in their tracks. Some turned away, others tried not to vomit, but Dr. Howard look on with great sadness and rage mixed together. He walked up to Nurse M, who was leaning on a chair with her handkerchief to her mouth, he never said a word but she knew what he was thinking. She quietly said in a shaken voice that was out of her character:

"The children just...just...killed themselves doctor. We...we...we all tried to stop them but they all did it at the same time. I..."

"It's alright Mary," he said calmly and quietly, "are all the children dead?"

"No doctor," said one orderly, "that Liddell girl is still alive."

"She was just standing in the hallway sir," said Dorathy, still holding Alice in her arms, walking up to Ivan, "she just stood there and did nothing."

"She was out of her room? How, did you check on her nurse, who last saw her?" he asked.

"No, not I..." Dorathy said, looking at the others, hoping someone would say that they did, but all shook their heads.

"I'll take her now," said Dr. Malkin to Dorathy, she handed her over to him, both treating her like she was a sand sculpture or something very delict, that could crumble away with the slightest jar, "I'll...I'll...have Paul put her in a room of some sorts for now."

"Paul isn't here tonight, he had the day shift today." said Dorathy.

"Oh, yes...yes, well then I'll put her..." trailed off Jack as he walked down the hall, muttering to himself.

"Call the morgue Nurse M," said Dr. Howard, "and tell them I want a thorough autopsy on all of the children. Everyone, start cleaning and..." he looked at a hanging body in one of the rooms and chocked, "get him down...God, what on earth happened." he said quietly to himself.

Dr. Malkin was slowly walking down the hall, looking at Alice. Her expression on her face was still the same calm, emotionless look she had always had, but he looked at her eyes and he could tell something was different with in her. Even her body felt a little more tense, rather than the limp rag doll she was normally.

"Doctor?" said a husky voice at his side.

He jumped, not noticing that Dr. Howard had been walking at his side the entire time.

"Oh, Dr. Howard...tonight's not a good night to be doing things like that." he said a little relieved.

"I'm sorry, we're all upset," Dr. Howard said with a slight bit of anger in his voice, "how is she?"

"Who?" asked Dr. Malkin stupidly.

"The girl in your arms you goose." Dr. Howard said with a slight smile.

"Oh! Uh, she...she looks like she didn't see anything but look at her Doctor, her eyes..."

"Are screaming with fear and confusion." said Dr. Howard in a mater-of-fact tone, looking into her eyes with sadness.

Dr. Malkin was shocked, "You...you can tell that from just glancing at her?!"

"No, I've had years of experience, I ask questions" he said to him, like a teacher would to his pupal, "she was found in the middle of the hallway, no one moved her there. She may have moved on her own, and probably witnessed everything. But the question is..." he said to thoughtfully, "why was her cell door unlocked and why would the children commit mass suicide?" Dr. Howard then stopped walking, rubbing the impression marks from his glasses, thinking.

"I want you to take her to an examination room Dr. Malkin, I'll rejoin you in a moment." With that, he turned around and walked back toward the children ward. Dr. Malkin was confused slightly, but did as he was told. The examination rooms were at the far end of the ward, near the center of the asylum. When he reached them, he sat down in a chair with Alice still cradled in his arms, he looked down at her. He wondered if she could see and hear him, if so, he decided to comfort her.

"It's alright love, everything's going to be alright, you'll see." he said smiling and hugging her. He then looked at her face to see if anything changed, but he was surprised to see her hand slightly twitch. But he hadn't the time to think about it, because Dr. Howard and Nurse P walked into the room.

"Let's examen her first, then we'll arrange a place for her to spend the night."

Dr. Malkin gently placed Alice on the table, Dr. Howard and Nurse P then began the examination, nothing humiliating or embarrassing for Alice, just a lookover her overall state. Dr. Howard first looked at her head and face, gently moving her head side to side, looking for any contusions or abrasions, finding nothing on her head he moved down to her neck to find nothing. He then examined her arms and legs, finding nothing, he then said:

"Nurse Parfett, would you please finish the examination?"

"Yes Doctor." Nurse Parfett said sadly. She closed the curtain around herself and the exam table to finish the examination.

"Dr. Howard," whispered Jack, "why are we examining her right now? Can't this be done in the morning? I don't think she could, let alone _would_ hurt herself."

"Doctor, I _know_ she didn't hurt herself," said Dr. Howard quietly, "I just want to make sure that no one else _did_. I have been reading the files on all of the juveniles, and about that red spot on her leg you found on her a couple of weeks ago, and... " Just then, Nurse P finished the examination.

"I found nothing Dr. Howard." said Nurse P.

"Excellent, very good," he said relieved, "now all we have to do, is to find her a place to sleep. Do you think Dr. Malkin," he said looking at Jack, "she could stay in _your_ office for tonight, and have Nurse Parfett stay with you, I want her to be guarded for tonight."

"My office, why there? Can't we find a more suitable place for her somewhere else?" said jack a little confused.

"There are no available room throughout the entire asylum, and I will not put her in one of the adult wings. And I feel she would be safer in your office than any other room tonight." Dr. Howard said.

"Uh, ye-yes Dr. Howard, she can stay in...my...office nurse," he said quickly to Nurse P, "take her to my office, I'll get us some blankets and pillows."

"Yes doctor." she said and she picked up Alice and left the room. Dr. Malkin was going to exit the room also, but Dr. Howard grabbed his arm and gently held him in place.

"This is the best we can do for now, until the postmortem examinations are complete. I want Alice to have two people with her at all times. I can't explain this now, but just trust me. Your and my suspicions are similar in nature." Jack nodded in agreement, and Dr. Howard slowly headed toward his office.

"Where are you going Dr. Howard? Aren't you going to help the other nurses and doctors?" asked Jack.

"I have to write letters to the parents," Dr. Howard said in an exhausted, almost defeated voice, never turning to face Jack, "I have to tell them as soon as possible; I also have to summon the police and the coroner to conduct and investigation and the autopsies. Its part of the infirmary's code." With that, he slowly continued on his way to his office to begin the terrible task. Dr. Malkin watched him walk down the hall up to the moment he was out of sight. Then he too turned and walked down another hall, to fetch the blankets and pillows and to return to his office to spend the night therein. As he was gathering the items, he quietly watched several orderlies taking several stretchers with covered bodies down toward the autopsy room, the blood seeping thru the covers. He quietly shook his head and headed to his office.

After setting up three beds in the small office, and tucking in Alice in one of them, Nurse P put down her knitting she was working on and walked over to a chair-height pub table near a settee that had tea things on it and said:

"Would you care for some tea doctor? Nurse D brought some in earlier and I could use a cup just now." she asked, pouring herself a cup.

"Yes please, that may calm my nerves." said Jack, taking the cup she prepared for him after hers. He took a sip and drew back a little.

"Peppermint tea," he said with a small smile, "and a strong brew of it as well." He slowly swirled the tea, then stopped and placed both hands on the cup and looked blankly at the steaming brew.

"Something on your mind, doctor?" asked Nurse P kindly.

"No," he said after a pause, "I just don't care much for peppermint." However, Nurse P knew that wasn't the truth, she knew for a fact from Dorathy that he liked peppermint tea, which was why Dorathy made it. Nothing was said between the two for a few minutes, both quietly sipping their tea, absorbing what had happened. Jack looked over at Alice to see if she was asleep, but she wasn't, she just stared at the ceiling with the same look about her. Jack wasn't sure that she was competent during the incident or not, but something deep within him told him that he should give her some comfort. He placed his cup on his desk and walked up to Alice and picked her up saying:

"How inconsiderate of me, not attending to your needs. Here you can sit by me," he said, placing her on the left side of the settee, "and here," he said pouring her a cup of tea and then placing it in her hands, "is a cup for you." He then sat on the right side of the settee, with Nurse P to his right in a arm chair. Alice just sat there, with the cup placed in both hands, she was slightly aware of her surroundings and what was going on, she was just in a thick fog, almost back withing the darkness. All she could see were some blurred figures in a blurred room, she wasn't even aware that she had a harm cup in her hands or her rabbit was still tucked underneath her arm. After not stirring for a few minutes, Nurse P stood up and took the cup out of her hands, fearing she may spill it on her legs, and placed it on the pub table.

"Should I fetch some sedative for her doctor," asked Nurse P, "I fear she shan't sleep on her own tonight." Jack quietly sat there, thinking back to his own childhood, remembering what his mother had done for him when he couldn't sleep.

"Let me try something first nurse," he said picking her up, and then sitting in his plush armchair, "if this doesn't work then we'll do that." He then looked at the small girl and said:

"When I was a small boy, and felt scared or couldn't sleep on my own, my mother use to rock me and sing me a lullaby until I was calm or fell asleep. Would you like to hear the lullaby?" he asked, but expected no answer, so he began slowly rocking back and forth his armchair with Alice in his arms, and he softly started singing:

**(1) **"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, Rosemary's green,

When I am king, dilly, dilly, You shall be queen.

Who told you so, dilly, dilly, Who told you so?

'Twas my own heart, dilly, That told me so.

Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work

Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, Some with a fork.

Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, Some to thresh cord.

Whilst you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.

I love to dance, dilly, dilly, I love to sing;

When I am king, dilly, dilly, You'll be my queen.

Who told me so, dilly, dilly, Who told me so?

I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so.

Rosemary's green, dilly, dilly, Lavender's blue,

If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you.

Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, And the lambs play;

We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, Out of harm's way."

The song was soon over, and he looked down at the girl, and saw that she was fast asleep. He slowly and quietly stood up and walked back to her bed and re-tucked her in for the night. Then he sat down by Nurse P and whispered to her:

"I'm surprised that worked."

"Oh Dr. Malkin," Nurse P said, overcome by her emotions and dabbing her eye with her handkerchief, "that was beautiful! I absolutely love that lullaby, and such a singing voice you have."

"Actually," he said, with a smile looking at nothing, "that's the first time I ever sang that song...(chuckles) I never imagined that I would ever sing a song to anyone. Mother would have been proud, I suppose."

"Well, I'm glad you sung it, look at her," she said pointing to Alice, "she looks like she's _really_ sleeping on her own, not forced to sleep because of those god-awful drugs they put in her every night."

"Yes, I suppose your right, she does look peaceful." He then turned and leaned forward and placed his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, thinking.

"I wonder if she _really_ saw anything tonight, or even understood any of it..." he said to himself, unknowingly he said it out loud.

"I don't know doctor," Nurse P said, making Jack jump a little, "something must have driven them to do it, but what I don't understand is...why kill themselfs at the same time and how would they conduct such a thing?"

"I don't know, and I don't know if we'll ever find out." he said blankly. Nurse P shook her head in sadness, and turned to her side to continue working her knitting. Dr. Malkin rubbed the back of his neck, he knew that this incident wasn't going to blow over for at least for a week so he had to get use to the fact that he had a catatonic child in his office. He then reached over and picked up the unused cup of tea and took a sip of it, then mumbled:

"It's gone cold..."

"Have you finish examining all the children?" asked Dr. Howard to the coroner.

"I have, and let me tell you Ivan," he said shaking a pen at him, "examining 37 bodies in less than 72 hours is..."

"I...I know Jonathan, I know..." Dr. Howard said wearily, "it's a lot to swallow. What have you found?"

"Well, they all self-mutilated themselfs, some killing themselfs by hanging, others by slashing either their wrists or throats, or jabbing their jugular veins or just bleeding to death from their wounds. But I did noticed a pattern in all of the deaths, come look."

The coroner and Dr. Howard walked up to a body that lay among all the other bodies, the coroner lifted a sheet up, revealing the Jones boy that Nurse D and Paul had calmed down that one night.

"This boy," said the coroner, resting the sheet just under the boys rib cage, "slit his own throat, as you can clearly see, he had also jabbed his arms and cut his arms with the same broken mirror, but this is what surprised me," he lifted the sheet again, "look." Dr. Howard looked in the sheet and pulled back.

"His private parts are gone..." said Dr. Howard, surprised.

"Yes,. He cut them off himself before he died." said the coroner blankly

"He did it to himself, but why?"

"That's not all, come and have a look at this one." said the coroner, walking down several tables, and revealing Adelaide, who was severely mutilated in the face and barely recognizable.

"This one did one nasty bit on herself, she bleed to death because she sliced her own belly, spilling her innards. She had also cut off her own breasts, as you can see." he said, wile lifting up the sheet further, making Dr. Howard flinch a little.

"But as I was examining her organs, I found out something very interesting."

"And what pray tell would that be."

"She was pregnant."

"Pregnant?!"

"About 20 weeks into it, some girls as you know, don't show the signs of pregnancy. She wasn't the only one, about every girl that could have children were pregnant, the youngest one pregnant had barely turned 10. Doctor," he said sadly and bluntly, "these children were rapped."

"I thought so," said Dr. Howard a little angry, "how on earth could the entire staff not notice any of the pregnancies?!"

"The man...or men, or even the girls themselves could have easily faked menstrual cycles by...cutting them or cutting themselfs, and then bleed on the cloths."

"Your right, wh-why didn't I think of that...Goddamn it!" he yelled and banged his hands on an empty table, causing the autopsy tools to fall on the floor. The coroner just stood there, knowing Dr. Howard was in pain.

"This one," the coroner said after a moment, pointing to Adelaide, "was the furthest one along, others were only weeks into it, the point is, these girls were assaulted, as you can see here," he said uncovering another girls body, "these bruises are old around her wrists, some bruising showing signs of rope around her wrists, others look like someone simply held her down with his own hands. Here," he said pointing to her neck, "the bruises show someone strangled her, not enough to kill her." he said looking at the poor girl, "This man likes it ruff."

"And the boys?" asked Ivan quietly.

"Same thing, all the bodies of the boys show signs of rape, years in some of the boys cases." Ivan rubbed his temples in aggravation.

"_Years_, how can someone cover something like this for _years_?"

"Think Ivan," said the coroner, "this pace has orderlies and doctors that check on the patients at night, every night. They could do one kid on night, then do another one another night, covering each others back, assuming if there's more than one man...and we'll never know for sure who did this, or how many." said the coroner sadly.

"Perhaps not," said Ivan, "Jonathan, I need a copy of all the children's autopsies, with the pictures you took of them."

"When?"

"By tonight." he said, walking toward the morgue door.

"_Tonight_! Ivan, I have to give these findings to the police, that means I would have to copy everything, _again_...and I have other things..."

"Please, as a personal favor for an old school chum." said Dr. Howard humbly.

"(sigh) All right, tonight, but I'm going on holiday after this." grumbled the coroner.

"Thank you Jonathan, I have to go now, I have my own work to do." he started to walk to the door but stopped and turned around. "Did you perchance, find out why they killed themselves at the same time?"

"You're the psychologist, God knows why...but I don't know."

"Thank you." he said sadly, with that Dr. Howard left the morgue. Dr. Howard quickly walked down the halls, with the new found knowledge about the children buzzing in his head. He walked down to the nurses station, up to Nurse M and said:

"Nurse M, I need you to help me with something."

"Yes Dr. Howard," she said standing up, "what is it?"

"We keep a record of everyone, nurse, orderly and doctor who is here, day and night, don't we?"

"Er-yes, yes of course we do doctor, it's standard procedure...you know that." she said a little confused.

"I want all those transcripts, going at least five years back, on my desk, by tonight."

"Fiv-five years?!" stammered Nurse M, "With all due respect doctor," she said a little annoyed, "that will take the rest of the day, if we can find all of them. If...if I had until Friday..."

"I need them tonight," he said a little severely, "I know I'm demanding a lot, but I need to solve this as soon as possible..."

"That's the police's job." she interrupted.

"I know, I can't say now, but the sooner we solve this, the safer out patients will be."

"But doctor," whined Nurse M, but stopped when she saw the look he was giving her, "oh, alright...I'll have them on your desk by 8 o'clock tonight." she then excused herself and walked down toward the record closet. He smiled, he knew that she wasn't really all that bad, in fact, he remembered when she and he first came into the asylum, much like Nurse D, but through the years she...hardened for some reason. No one knew why, she just...lost something. He shook his head and walked down the hall, there was one last thing he needed to do before he locked himself into his own office. He walked up to Dr. Malkin's office, knocked on the door and waited for an answer. But as such no one answered the door, he knocked again, thinking that perhaps he didn't hear him, again no one answered him.

"Can I help you doctor?" asked Jack, who had walked up him. Dr. Howard spun around, surprised but pleased to see him.

"Ah, yes Dr. Malkin, I need to talk to you. Is the Liddell girl still in your office?"

"Yes doctor, she has been for the past three days, have the other rooms been finished yet?" asked Dr. Malkin excitedly, truthfully he wanted his office to himself again.

"No they haven't, I've had a talk with the chief of the police department, and according to him, we're suppose to have _all_ patients in a proper cell, or we're breaking the law and can have the entire asylum closed, I'm in it enough with the suicide incident."

"What do you propose we do about this then sir?" asked Jack.

"The entire juvenile wing of the hospital won't be open until the investigation is complete, and we can refurnish the entire wing," said Dr. Howard sadly, "and unfortunately, the only vacant room in the entire asylum is in the adult ward."

"I thought you didn't want to put her in the adult ward."

"I don't...some of the patients in that ward are...not pleasant to be around. Let's leave it at that." Dr. Howard said adjusting his glasses. "I'll try to temporarily transferredyou to the

adult wing, just until the juvenile wing is re-opened, that should only be a few more days, but I can't guarantee it." Dr. Malkin nodded in agreement and started to walk toward his office door, but was stopped by Dr. Howard.

"Before you go in, tell Nurse M I am calling a staff meeting for all head staff members in the lunch room, tomorrow in the morning at 10 o'clock. Tell her that, and to summon the other nurses and doctors and orderlies from the other wards as well."

"Sure, I'll get to that right now." Jack then turned around to summon the rest of the staff to the meeting. Dr. Howard then took off his glasses and rubbed the glasses impressions between his eyes. He was tired, and was going to be up all night connecting the dots. He certainly wasn't looking forward the rest of the week. He walked down the juvenile ward, looking at the cells, all the blood had been mopped up, walls washed...but everything that happened would live on, haunting the asylum's history forever...and it was his responsibility to protect the children. He entered his office, and sat down in his chair, ran his hand thru his hair and then looked at the plaque that hung above his medical degree, The Hippocratic Oath, and read one verse:

**(2) **'I will prescribe regiments for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and _never do harm to anyone_.'

* * *

**(1) I have used the original chorus words of 'Lavender's Blue'. The more modern version of it is: 'Lavender's Blue, dilly, dilly, Lavenders Green' I wanted to make it more older, I really don't know when the words were changed but...'Rosemary's Green' really are the original words to the song. **

**P.S. Yes, this song is in the Public Domain. I was going to use another song, but...couldn't..._sigh_...and I really wanted to use that song too.**

**(2)This line, is from the original, translated from Greek, Hippocratic Oath. The HO that we know today was written in 1964. **


	12. Viking Man

I apologize in advance for anyone who is offended by my cockney accent typing...I tried VERY hard to get it right.

* * *

Chapter 11: Viking Man

The entire lunchroom was full of the available main staff members. Dr. Malkin was also called to the meeting, even though he wasn't a head staff member. He sat right next to Dr. Barr, who seemed disinterested in the entire affair. Dr. Malkin looked around, seeing doctors and nurses for the first time, all talking to one another, they all seemed...annoyed by the sudden meeting, yet curious to cause of it. Then Dr. Howard walked in with a brief case, and the crowd lowered their voices, but not all the talking stopped. Dr. Howard stepped in front of the crowd and raised his arm to quiet the crowd. The staff simmered down and the mood turned somber.

"As you all know," said Dr. Howard, "we've had the police running the halls of Rutledges for several days now. I'm sure the reason why has been passed around, correct?" The doctors and nurses nodded in agreement.

"What you all don't know is the reason _why_ they all committed suicide." When he said this, he caught the entire staff's attention. Dr. Howard looked at all the faces of the staff, looking for any signs of anything.

"All the juveniles had been raped, multiple times."

There was a loud murmur throughout the entire staff. Many of the doctors started to look at each other, the nurses started to talk, others quietly cried, Dr. Malkin went pale, and Dr. Barr just sat there quietly. Dr. Howard noticed the two of them, he had looked at the other doctors and nurses, and they were the only two who had reacted in an abnormal way, and that raised red fags in his head.

"Do we know by whom?" asked one older doctor.

"No, but I do know this, it was a man who had access to the children. We don't know if there was more than one, but I do know it was someone in the juvenile ward."

"Could have it been an orderly?" asked a nurse

"Possibly, but from looking at the children's medical records and the work schedules, its more likely that the man is one of the doctors."

"We've never had a problem in the juvenile ward with rape before," said Dr. Barr standing up, "perhaps it was one of out newer staff members...or doctors." he gave Dr. Malkin a look out of the corner of his eye, seeing Jack look up at him with total surprise and disgust, since he was the only new doctor.

"_That_ we don't _know_ of Dr. Barr," said Dr. Howard with some inclemency, "but looking at the history of some of the patient who had been at Rutledges for several years show old signs of physical assault, some injuries as old as the time they were admitted." he said looking at Dr. Barr.

"We should do something about this," said Dr. Barr, "I propose we fire all the orderlies in the ward right now, and hire new ones and..."

"Oh, and I suppose we should fire the all the doctors as well," said one doctor who was very annoyed at Dr. Barr, "that wont solve anything and only..."

"He's just trying to help." interrupted one nurse.

"Let's not argue," said Dr. Howard, "we can't afford to fire all, let alone one orderly, we're short handed as is. Look, the police and I still have a lot to investigate, and we can't afford a war within the asylum. If the police saw us argue like cats and dogs, they'll shut down Rutledges for good, and we'll all lose our jobs and licences. I've called this meeting to talk about what we have to do with out only remaining child."

"There was one that didn't die?" asked a nurse.

"One failed suicide?" asked another doctor.

"No, she never attempted, this girl is in a catatonic state," said Dr. Howard, "the police said we have to have her in a cell, or they'll shutdown the asylum, we're already teetering in that direction. But unfortunately, the juvenile ward is closed for the investigation, and because we have refurbish the entire hall."

"What do you propose then Dr. Howard," asked the older doctor, "the only available room in the asylum is my wing, which is the adult wing."

"I know, but we don't have any choice, we have to put her in there for at least two to three days, just until the juvenile ward is finished." The staff was quiet, they knew that this was a bad thing to do, put a little girl into the adult ward. The older doctor, stood up and said confidently:

"Ill arrange everything as soon as the meeting is over, she'll have a private room to herself, and I'll make sure that only our female staff members are to see her."

"What about me sir," asked Dr. Malkin, "will I be stripped of seeing my _only_ patient for the next three days?"

"Now, now Dr. Malkin," said Dr. Barr without looking at him, "would it really hurt her if you didn't see that little girl for a few nights," then he turned and faced him and gave him a hinting look, "or would it kill you if you couldn't _sing_ to her for one night?" Dr. Malkin stood up.

"Just what are you insinuating at, Dr. Barr?" asked Jack grinding his teeth.

"That's enough, both of you!" called out Dr. Howard, giving them harsh looks. "Especially you Dr. Barr, you of _all_ people shouldn't make accusations." Dr. Barr looked at Dr. Howard, then sat back down in his seat.

"Dr. Alder, when can you have the room ready?"

"By noon today." said Dr. Alder with a smile and a nod.

"Good, good...another thing, next week there will be another meeting, were changing hospital proto call, that will be on Wednesday at 3 o'clock. Thank you, you're all dismissed."

The staff started to leave the lunchroom, but Jack called out:

"I beg your pardon sir, but you never answered my question. Isn't that why I was transferred temporarily at the adult ward?"

"Wha-oh, yes...uh, Dr. Malkin yes...yes, Dr. Alder," called out Dr. Howard to Dr. Alder who turned around, "Dr. Malkin here, is allowed to see her for one hour a day, _only _one hour."

"Yes sir." said Dr. Alder, then left. Dr. Malkin was disappointed to only get an hour, but it was better than nothing so he left. As Dr. Howard picked up the unused brief case, Dr. Barr walked up to him and whispered in his ear:

"Doctor, I must protest, you letting him continue seeing the child, I honestly don't think that my dead friend's daughter should be..."

" 'Should be' what?," asked Dr. Howard, "Not treated by you. Dr. Barr, I know that you have been pushing to get her to be your patient, and quiet honestly, I don't think that you are the best for her." Dr. Barr looked at him, his pride wounded, he gave Dr. Howard a dirty look and said chocking down his anger:

"Yes sir." and marched out of the room. Dr. Howard looked at him, he thought it queer that Dr. Barr really wanted Alice. He didn't know the truth, but he felt in his heart, this was the right thing to do, for now.

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Alice re-emerged from the smoke, she felt at ease, she really enjoyed that wonderful song that Dr. Malkin sang for her, but then she realized she was no longer in his arms but alone in the office. She was sitting back in the big armchair, her body slouched a little, with her head sightly tilted, resting on the side of the chair, with her rabbit sitting on her lap. Then she could here someone unlocking the door, then she saw Paul, Dr. Malkin and another man she never saw before enter the room.

"You were right Mr. Redcliffe, she does look like a china doll." said Dr. Alder

"Yeah, she does, doesn't she," said Paul, "come on love," he said, picking her up and placing her in a wheelchair, "we're taking you to a new room."

They backed out of the office and headed down the hallway, to another hallway that Alice did not recognize. She could only look strait forward , but it was enough to get the layout of things. She noticed that when they came to the far end of the cream and green colored hallway and went past the double doors, the entire hospital changed. They entered a large area, she had no idea what the room was, and she couldn't get a proper look about it, so she was left guessing as of what it was, for they entered another double-doorway and came to another hall way. This hallway was the polar opposite of the juvenile ward, and what I mean by polar opposite is that it made the juvenile ward look like the cleanest, happiest place on earth. The tile here was once a sea blue, now it just looked like...well...I'll let your own imaginations think of what the adult ward looked like, Im feeling lazy. They first passed the recreation center for the adults, where many were in there, talking or cursing or just whatever, but when they all saw Alice being wheeled in, they all dropped what they were doing and looked at her.

Other orderlies that were standing guard over the patients, approached the small group and guarded them, because some of the other patients quickly approached the wheelchair, screaming and trying to touch her.

"That's my baby!" screamed one woman in her late forties, trying to grab Alice out of the chair, "That's my baby, let go! I want my baby!" she screamed as she was being haled away.

One man, wanted her hair, he had a freaky fetish for hair, long hair. "One strand," he shouted, "Just one strand, please just one!!"

Others continued on the same fashion, except one man. He was in the crowd of course, but he toward over everyone, he had broad thick arms, a barrel chest, stout legs and long greying red hair and beard, bald at the top of his head. He slowly walked down with the crowd, but as he was the only one not making a fuss, he wasn't set back to his cell. Several large orderlies stood by him, just to be sure, but he never did anything out of sorts. When they stopped moving the wheelchair, he moved in front of her so she could see him clearly. She looked at him and she looked at him, she felt a little intimidated by his girth, but she didn't feel threatened by him at all. As the doctors were exchanging information and orderlies were busy trying to contain a patient that went completely mad, they forgot to watch Alice. The large man slowly approached her, much like a kitten approaches a new thing, cautiously and with total curiosity. He slowly reached out his hand toward her, but then one of the large orderlies saw this and called out:

"Don't move, Viking Man!" He froze, brought back his hand and turned to face the man who yelled at him, but it was to late, four orderlies jumped on him and dragged him down and haled him back to his cell.

"Good lord, what was that, a man or a bear?" asked Dr. Malkin.

"No, that is Alastair, our largest and strongest resident here, he's Scandinavian descended, so the orderlies nicknamed him 'Viking Man', and because of that he no longer responds to his Christian name." said Dr. Alder.

"Why is he here?"

"He was convicted of murdering 10 of his coworkers in a mine about 20 years ago, after mutilating another person before that, but I'm not so sure he did it."

"Why, is he not violent?"

"He's...had several incidences of hurting doctors and orderlies, so I can't say 'yes' to that."

"Has he had a record of hurting children?" asked Dr. Malkin a little worried.

"Not to my knowledge. Don't worry Dr. Malkin, we'll take excellent care of Alice." Then they opened the door, and wheeled her in the new room, the room...lets just say the Grand Central Train Station's restrooms toilets are cleaner. The bed, made for a grownup, was covered in nasty stains and had a permanent impression of a body in it. They placed Alice in the bed, and she sort of sunk in the mattress...and it felt a little...moist.

"Doctor, this mattress is still wet." said an orderly.

"Oh, well go get another one...and make sure its clean." said Dr. Alder. The orderly left, and Dr. Malkin picked up Alice and handed her to Dr. Alder said:

"Hold on to her and take good care of her, I'll be back later tonight. Good day." with that he and Paul left the adult ward.

Alice was now scarred, she was in a place full of creepy people, strangers and it just was upsetting her. She wanted to go back to the office, it was better than this wretched room, this...this hospital. She just wanted to go home! She wanted to go home! Her mind was screaming, 'I want to go home!' but her body just sat there, just like a china doll.

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It was one hour before the lights had to go out, and Alice was just starring at the new ceiling, memorizing it. Then she heard people enter the room, she saw that Dr. Malkin had returned, just like he said he would, and there were two nurses that she didn't recognize standing by him. And unbeknown to Alice and Dr. Malkin, Dr. Alder was out side the door, looking in thru the eye slots.

"Hello Alice, how are you tonight?" said Dr. Malkin happily, but as usual received no answer. "I hope you're well, lets talk for a few moments. I want to talk to you, about that night when...that bad thing happened with the children." He paused for a moment, looking for any sign of anything, but nothing showed. The conversation went on for almost an hour, about that and other things, like Dr. Malkin's day and other subjects. Soon, was almost time for him to go, so he said:

"Well Alice, its almost time for me to go, I have something to show you before I go." he then reached inside of his coat pocket and pulled out something. It was a small music box.

"I had this music box," he said wile winding up the box, "made after my mother died. It was handcrafted by a famous artisan, and the only one of its kind." It was a very nice music box, round, about the size of two hands joined together, cherry wood with a cherry wood finish, lovely decorative markings carved into the wood.

"Would you like me to..."

"Dr. Malkin," said Dr. Alder, walking into the room, "I've heard about your...singing to this patient...and...with the children being...assaulted and all that rubbish...I just don't think it's...appropriate for you to sing to her anymore."

"What?" Dr. Malkin said rising up, "I've never hurt her...and my singing to her makes her sleep, she doesn't need tranquilizers this way. And besides, I wasn't..."

"That may be, but as she is under my supervision for now...I say no singing." Dr. Alder said unmoving. Dr. Malkin rubbed the back of his neck, looked at Alice, then looked at him again.

"May I at least play the music box for her? That's all I wanted to do in the first place."

"I...don't see anything wrong with that...for now," said Dr. Alder, "if she doesn't fall asleep," he said to one of the nurses, "get me some sedatives and a syringe." she nodded and watched Jack sadly wind up the music box. When he had finishing winding up the box, he opened the small, thin lid and inside revealed the clockworks that made the music box play whirling and moving the spindle that held the raised bumps that would pluck the tuned strands of metal that played the music. The music box was quiet, quiet enough that you would have to stop what you were doing just to hear the song, but it would be worth the pause because the music was very relaxing.

The melody played gently, and Alice found it very soothing, she wished though, he could sing to her again. She was thinking this, but then she got very sleepy and her eyes closed on their own and just before the music box stopped playing, she fell fast asleep.

"There, you see," said Dr. Malkin quietly, picking up the box, "no harm what so ever."

"Yes, it is an effective tool," he said, "have you ever tried taking the rabbit away from her?"

"Yes, but nothing draws her out of her catatonic state."

"We'll talk more in the morning, right now, lets leave her to sleep." All the nurses and doctors left Alice alone in the dark, but as she was asleep, she didn't mind.

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Suddenly, Alice woke up in the dead of night, she didn't think she had a nightmare, but her heartbeat said otherwise, it was palpitating at a phenomenal rate. She could do nothing, her room had no windows so it was completely dark. She could hear strange noises coming from just beyond her walls. She could here someone muttering in the dark about nothing, another woman was sobbing hysterically, one man was howling his lungs out. She could also hear scratch marks, just beyond the wall, next to her head. She was terribly frightened. Then she could hear someone open the eye slots, the bright light hurt her eyes, but she never squinted.

"Doctor, she isn't asleep anymore. She woke up."

"I thought as much, that Malkin may have best intentions in mind, but the old ways are much more practical. Hand me the syringe."

"I'm sorry Doctor, but all the syringes are dirty, all we have to offer right now is the oral medicine."

"Oh very well, fetch the nurses and the medicine I require."

After a few moments, Dr. Alder and two nurses walked into her room with a lamp. In his hands, Dr. Alder held the oral medicine in a small cup.

"Alright, prop her mouth open." commanded Dr. Alton. The nurses obeyed and opened Alice's mouth, then Dr. Alder placed the syrup like medicine in her mouth, then closed and covered her mouth with his hands and pinched her nose. The medicine tasted simply awful, ten times worse than cough syrup. But her body naturally swallowed it, due to lack of air, and he removed his hands from her face.

"Dr. Alton," asked a nurse.

"Yes?"

"Do you really think it was that new doctor that hurt the children?"

"No, I don't. I don't think he would ever hurt anyone, but...I've been wrong before," he looked into Alice's eyes, "this girl...is one of the worst cases I've ever seen, but...he was able to get through her with that song. Perhaps, tomorrow night, I'll let him sing." Having said that, they gathered their things and left Alice in the dark again. She was still scarred, and wanted them to leave the light, but they took it with them. Soon the drug took its affect on her and she drifted back to sleep.

Alice woke up some hours later, she didn't know how long the drug kept her asleep, but she was still slightly under its influence, as she felt very groggy. Then she could hear someone enter her room, she saw it was one of the nurses that came in the cell earlier that night. She picked her up and placed her in a wheelchair, she wheeled her into the lounge room, and then she motioned some orderlies and another nurse over to her, when they reached her, she said:

"I have to prepare the bathroom for this one, make sure the other patients don't approach her."

They agreed and they stood guard over the catatonic girl, as they were watching them, one orderly leaned in close and looked at her, then he picked up her arm and lifted it in the air slightly, then let go. Her arm stayed in the same position he had placed it.

"Why did her arm stay like that nurse?"

"She's catatonic," said the nurse, "they have a waxy flexibility of their limbs, or in short, their limbs," she said as she bent her arm into a waving position, then repositioned it in her lap, "stay where they're posed."

Just then one of the female patients, (whom she believed she was a vampire) jumped on another orderly across the lounge and began to bite his neck. Several other orderlies and nurses tried to rip her off of the poor man, who was now severely bleeding, and it took three men to hold her down. As the other nurses tried to carry the injured orderly to the surgical area of the asylum, it left the three orderlies on their own, who were being thrown around as is.

"Stay put nurse," said one of the guarding orderlies, "we'll help them, then come back." and the two orderlies ran to help the other orderlies to put the crazed woman into a straitjacket and fling her into the padded room. The nurse looked on, her attention totally off Alice, she never saw him approach. The Viking Man, who was in the corner of the room, was slowly approaching the wheelchair with the same air he had on the previous day, but he quietly eyed the nurse, ready to retreat if she saw him approaching. But just then, the mad woman leaped on another orderly and bit into him as well and the nurse bolted toward the fighting group to aid them, including the nurse who had returned to get Alice for her bath. Viking Man watched the nurse run off, then he attend to Alice walking around the wheelchair and then pulling up a chair, and stat right in front of Alice.

The man just stared at her, not with wild eyes or anything threatening toward her, but just with a thoughtful gaze, much like someone at a museum stares at a really weird work of art. Alice was looking at him too, wanting to ask him a question, but as she couldn't, she would just have to be content of just looking at him as well, thinking about how large the man was and how he did resemble a Viking. Just then, the rabbit that was precariously dangling in her left arm, fell to the floor. The man looked at it like a baby had fallen to the floor, rather than a stuffed toy rabbit. He jumped out of his chair and rushed over to the toy and gently picked it up, dusted it off slightly and very slowly and gingerly, placed the rabbit in her lap. Then he slowly sat back down and continued his gazing at the girl. Just then, with her own free will, she looked at the man in the face, and hugged the toy slightly which made the man as big as he was, jump slightly. But then, he smiled slightly, knowing that in a way, she was thanking him for his kind act. Then he reached out his arm once again toward her.

"Hey, Alastair's by the girl, stop him!" called out Dr. Alden. The orderlies whirled around, seeing the large man so close to the small girl. They ran toward the man, but he had already retreated to his corner of the room, cowering with his arms around his head saying in a deep husky voice and a very thick cockney accent:

"I ain't 'urt 'er, 'onest I didn't!"

"It's alright Alastair, your not in trouble," said Dr. Alder soothingly, "you are," he said to the nurses and orderlies, giving them a very harsh look, "I told you that she was _not_ to be left alone!"

"But doctor, Susan went berserk and attacked two of the orderlies, it took all of us just to..."

"Enough of the excuses," said Dr. Alder, rubbing his head, "just take her away, we'll talk about this later." The nurse who had left to prepare her bath water, sulkily took the wheelchairs handles and wheeled Alice away. As the nurse turned the wheelchair, Alice caught a quick gimps of Alastair, huddled in the corner but looking at her with the same interest he always had. She couldn't help but wonder why this man had such a interest in her. But soon, that thought left her mind, because the nurse had reached the bathing room. Alice wasn't the only patient that was going to have a bath, there were several other patients already in the bathroom...male and female...naked...at the same time. This made Alice VERY uncomfortable indeed, but the nurse took her around to the far corner of the room where there was a large curtain rapped around a "private" tub. There was already another nurse behind the curtain, waiting just for Alice to be brought in.

"Here she is, make sure that you clean every inch of her." said the one nurse that wheeled Alice in.

The other nurse only nodded and then picked up Alice and placed her on a table, and then began to undress her. Now Alice REALLY felt uncomfortable, she was shy enough when her own mother bathed her...let alone a stranger, but seeing that she couldn't object she would have to deal with it. The nurse gently placed her in the water, which was slightly too cold for Alice's taste but good enough for a quick bath. Alice was embarrassed at first, but as the nurse washed her, she soon felt a little more at ease, soon enough the bath was over, the nurse picked her up, dried her off, redressed her in the standard hospital garments, placed her back into the wheelchair and they were soon exiting the bathing room. Alice was thinking to herself that it wasn't as bad as she had thought it would have been, being bathed by a total stranger, though she still didn't like it, but again she dropped the thought because she noticed that she was back in the lounge room again, and in the room to great her was Dr. Alder.

"Wheel her over here nurse, I want to try something with her and Alastair."

The nurse wheeled her by two chairs and then stood by, ready for the next order. Two other orderlies brought out Alastair, who had leg shackles on. The orderlies guided him to one of the chairs, and he sat in it (more fell on it) with a thud and the chairs legs groaned and bowed. Then Dr. Alder sat in the free chair and then said to Alastair,

"Now Alastair," he said, but noticed that he didn't respond to him so he began again,

"Viking Man," this time, Alastair looked at him, "I know that you have some interest in this girl, can you tell me why?"

The Viking Man was quiet for a moment, then said quietly,

"She...reminds me of me dead girl, govnor."

"Ah yes," said Dr. Alder looking at his records, "about 20 years ago, your only child, Emily died. Let's talk about her, Emily that is. What happened to her?" This was exactly what Dr. Alder wanted to hear, Alastair never talked about his daughter, and he believed that this was the root of his problems. Alastair was quiet and pale, looking at Alice with this strange look.

"Sh-she...she was...," he stammered out while his eyes reddened and tears rolled down his face, "...done in."

"You mean murdered, yes?" asked Dr. Alder. Alastair nodded yes.

"How, how was she killed?" asked Dr. Alder quietly, jotting down notes. Alastair said nothing, tears running down his face and running down his beard, he just shook his head and continued to quietly sob.

"She was mutilated, wasn't she Viking Man?" Here, Alastair broke down and sobbed very loudly and covered his face with his hands. Dr. Alder reached over and padded him on the back.

"It's alright Viking Man, she can't feel anything anymore, she's at peace. But I need to know something Viking Man, who killed her?"

"I was takin' 'er 'ome after visiting me mother, I 'as" said Alastair sobbing, "we were walkin' down the street, was dark by then and the fog was...so thick...she was excited to get 'ome and ran ahead of me, she did. I called 'er back, but she wouldn't listen, then I...I 'eard 'er muffled scream. I ran and looked, I did, but...the fog...was thick...I-I couldn' find 'er, then...I..." Alastair only shook his head then hung it, he couldn't finish the story.

"The police found her body near a light post at dawn, but you weren't anywhere to be found near her, why?" asked Dr. Alder. He didn't reply, only continued to shake his head sadly.

"That's alright, you've talked about it enough for today," said Dr. Alder, finishing up jotting down the story, then he looked at Alastair and said, "does she look like your daughter?" he said, referring to Alice. Alastair looked up and looked at her.

"Her eyes are the same color as Emily's." here he slowly reached out to Alice again, but Dr. Alder grabbed his hand to say 'no, you can't' and Alastair brought back his arm.

"Dr. Alder, a moment of your time sir." said an approaching Doctor. Dr. Alder turned around and saw who it was.

"Dr. Barr, what bring's you over in this wing?" said Dr. Alder, a little surprised and suspicious.

"Dr. Malkin is currently unavailable to see his patient tonight, and he has asked me to treat her tonight." cooly replied Dr. Barr.

"Well that's fine and all Dr. Barr but I have orders from..."

"Oh, speaking of which, I have a written letter from Dr. Howard allowing me access to the girl." he produced the letter from his breast pocket in his jacket and handed it to Dr. Alder. Dr. Alder studied the letter, looking over every letter carefully, after reading the letter, he finally said:

"Yes, of course Dr. Barr. You can see her right now, she's right here, and I think," he said looking at the orderlies, "that you can treat her in here just as well as anywhere."

"Of course Dr. Alder," said Dr. Barr at an unusual ease, "there's nothing wrong with that. And what of the...(chuckle) Viking Man there?" he said mockingly, pointing to Alastair.

"I think that he'll be just fine where he is, won't you Viking Man?" said Dr. Alder.

Alastair said nothing, but quietly stared at Dr. Barr with an odd look. Dr. Barr walked up to the chair that Dr. Alder was in earlier and sat down in it, scooted it up closer to Alice, and then just sat there and had a large cheesy smile on his face. Then he finally said:

"How are you feeling today Alice? Feeling better I hope after all," he said with a small sneer, "recovering from that nasty bit of pneumonia is bound to..." but he stopped his taunting and looked at Alastair, who was looking at him with a very violentgaze.

"I'm sorry, but it seams the Viking Man doesn't like me very much, perhaps I shall come back some other time," he stood up and straitened his jacket and looked at his pocket watch, "perhaps when he is in his cell perhaps, where he should be, for the safety of the other patients, after all Dr. Alder," he said looking at him with a cheeky look, "didn't he murder his own daughter? Alice would just be another..." But he never got to finish his rude remark, Alastair flew into an psychotic rage and went to attack Dr. Barr, but as there were several orderlies next to him and others waiting in the corner for any trouble such as this, they soon had him 'subdued' to a point. It took seven men to push Alastair back into his cell, and after he was out of sight, Dr. Alder said very angrily:

"You sir, know better than anyone of us that you shouldn't push a patients buttons in that fashion! You _knew _that it would set him off, and another thing," he said defiantly, "do _not_ question my way..."

"Then don't question _my_ way..._sir_," said Dr. Barr cooly, "after all, I am second head psychologist right under Dr. Howard, you may have been in the medical field longer than I, but I have six years seniority in the field of psychology, don't _you_ forget that, Dr. Alder." Dr. Alder was fuming, but he was right, Dr. Barr, even though he was younger than himself, was his superior, but that didn't make him right. Weather as Dr. Alder could do nothing more than keep his mouth shut. Dr. Barr then said to the nurse that watched Dr. Alder take a ego-beating:

"Take her to her cell, and make sure that you tie down that gorilla," he said referring to Alastair, "isn't that what you would say, Dr. Alder?"

Dr. Alders hands were clenched into tight fists, his body stiffened up slightly but all he said was, "Yes, I would say that." and he let the subject drop.

"Very well Doctors." said the nurse and wheeled Alice back to her cell.

"I'll be back to check on the girl," said Dr. Barr headed for the door, "and I do hope that for once you'll keep _any_ inpatient under control and in their cells." with that last ego-crushing remark, he left the adult ward. Dr. Alder was very angry, not only at Dr. Barr but at himself for letting Dr. Barr rip into him like that.

"Oh," he sighed while rubbing his head, "I'm getting to old for this nonsense." with that, he turned toward where Alastair's cell was, he had to make sure that the leather straps were tight around him, and so he couldn't escape.

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It was very early in the morning, around 3 o'clock a.m., usually when all the patients, drugged or not, were asleep and the night staff finding ways to keep themselfs awake and entertained. Alice on the other hand, was trying to think clearly, and piece together on what she had learned about the Viking Man. She thought about him, remembering on how he looked at her, she wasn't sure what to believe. All she knew is what she had observed, and what she knew about Dr. Barr. Alice was feeling very depressed, she was tired of not being able to move on her own, she was tired of taking medicine she didn't want to take, or being forced to eat when she didn't feel like it. All she wanted to do was to go back to her old life, any life other than this.

She then heard the door at the end of the hallway open, she heard someone walk down the hallway, past her own cell and it stopped about a few doors down from her own, then she hear the voice of Dr. Barr taunting someone:

"I see that they have you all tied up," he said quietly to Alastair, "and drugged I imagine. That wasn't the most intelligent stunt you pulled tonight, trying to attack me, I was only stating the truth. I just want to make sure that little girl is safe, from monsters like you." he said with thick sarcasm. Alice could hear the Viking Man grunt, but only for a moment. Then the foot steps continued and stopped in front of her door, she could hear him put the key into the keyhole and turn it. She heard him enter the room with an oil lamp in hand, he however did not close the cell door.

"'Evening Alice or should I say morning," he said, lifting her into a sitting position on the bed, "I've come to treat you, don't you worry," he said with fake concern, "the nurse knows I'm here." He pulled up a chair and sat at the foot of the bed, placing his head on his folded arms on which they rested on the metal footboard. He just stared at her, and she stared at him. He looked at her, almost mockingly, his eyes darted around, looking at every detail of her face. Then he finally said:

"As you know, I have been treating many insane people for several years now, some got better and left and went on their lives, others didn't and continued their pointless existence here...until they died." he said casually, like he was telling her a bedtime story, he got up and walked around the room, looking at the various objects in the room as he spoke.

" 'How did they die', you might be wondering? Well, most died of sickness or killed themselfs or other mysterious reasons...others just become to violent or uncontrollable and had to be lobotomied," he then approached her and leaned in very close to her, looking into her eyes, "that's when they cut open your head and cut out part of your brain so that you become nothing more than a living pile of wasted flesh and organs that only steals air and nourishment from others, you become something less than human, less than an animal, you become...much like yourself now, something that people just stare at and feel sorry for it." he said very malevolently.

"But I digress," he said returning to the chair, "your not completely like them, your just one small step above that, you have a chance. Yes some patients die here, like what happened to all those children, truly unfortunate," he said shaking his head slowly, "most unfortunate indeed. The strangest thing is, I gave them their medicine they all required, and a little something extra," he said with a small wink and a cheeky smile, leaning in to whisper to her, "a nice high dosage of an hallucinogenic drug that I whipped up, to bad it had...such a nasty, _unforseen_ side effect," he said chuckling to himself, "that's _our_ little secret." he whispered into her ear.

"But enough about that, I need to treat you," he said placing his hands into his pockets, "I've got a idea, lets turn it into a game, guess what's in my pocket," he said with a smile, "it a bottle of sedative and a syringe!" he said producing the objects, "This is a 'special' sedative. It's a different type of medicine that you normally take, with a little something extra in it," he put the needle into the bottle and retracted an amount of medicine into the syringe, "the sedative will make you sleep, while the paralyzing agent will...well, stop your heart. The other doctors will simply think that you had an 'allergic reaction' to the new medicine. I hope that we've had a nice conversation today, but its time to see your family again." he said with a large grin, he moved toward her.

Alice was completely frightened, there was absolutely nothing she could do. She couldn't scream, kick, bite, run...nothing. He sat on the side of the bed and exposed her upper arm. He gently rubbed the site where he was going to eject the poisoned medicine into her, then he lifted the syringe into position and was about to push the needle into her arm, when:

BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!

Dr. Barr whirled around and looked out the door, wondering what the heck was that. BANG!!! The last charge did it, the door burst off its hinges and Alastair was free. He had silently tore free from the leather straps and rammed the door down, and charged toward the room where Dr. Barr was standing. He saw this and quickly tried to close the door shut, but Alastair had speed and weight on his side and burst thru the door with ease. Dr. Barr, showing his true color, backed off into a corner, still holding onto the syringe. Alastair grabbed his arm and twisted it until the pain was to much for Dr. Barr and he dropped the syringe. Then Alastair picked up the man with ease over his head and thru him out the door and into the other side of the hall, where he lay still for a few moments. Alastair then gently picked up Alice and ran down the hall toward the far end of the hall, opposite of the lounge area.

By this time orderlies and nurses rushed in and saw the destruction and the down doctor. Dr. Barr, stunned but still conscious, pointed and said:

"He's determined to kill her, stop him!"

The orderlies obeyed and took chase, wile some nurses stayed behind to treat Dr. Barr and others left to get help. Alastair kept charging at doors and kept breaking them down, eventually, he did tire and was forced to hide in the visitation area of the Asylum. He walked to a corner and placed her into the corner. Alice was frightened, she didn't know what he was going to do. He then reached out to her, just like he did previously, and he began to stroke her head, and that's all he did, he petted her and that's all he ever wanted to do. Just then, for some strange reason, Alice was able to show on her face that she was scared and frightened. Alastair saw the look on her face, he scooped her up and hugged her, he sat in her place and while he continued to hug and pet her, he soothingly said:

"It's alright, everyt'in is going to be alright, I'm 'ere, I am...'ush now, its alright." And he kept stroking her and rocking her and repeating this until the orderlies caught up to him and they took action to get Alice out of his hands. One orderly ran forward and grasped onto Alice while another also ran up and hit Alastair on the head with a nightstick. While he was distracted from the blow to the head, the orderly who grabbed Alice, pulled and yanked her free from his arms. This made him angry and he reached out for her, but as soon as Alice was free from his arms, the other orderlies leaped forward and tackled him. There were at least 12 men holding him down, but he was still able to stand up, and try to get her. The man with the nightstick took no chances and wacked him on back of his head, knocking him out and he fell forward, landing on three of the orderlies in the process just as the other nurses, orderlies and Dr. Ader, and Dr. Howard arrived.

"What happened?" asked Dr. Ader.

"Alastair," said one orderly who wiggled out from the large man, then gently cradled his broken arm, "tore free from the leather straps, rammed his cell door down, attacked Dr. Barr, and ran off with the girl. Dr. Barr said that Alastair was going to kill her, and we found him holding her very tightly with his one hand near her head."

Dr. Ader and Dr. Howard looked at each other, then they looked at Alastair, then back at each other, both knowing what would happen next.

"You know Dr. Ader," said Dr. Howard quietly, "that this was his last chance, and now..."

"I-I know Dr. Howard, I know." said Dr. Ader very sadly. He then said to the orderlies,

"Take him back to his cell, Dr. Howard and I have some business to attend to for now." The orderlies did as they were told, it took 8 men to pick him up and place him on a table with wheels, and they wheeled him back to his cell, where they strapped him in again with new thicker bands and in a straitjacket, so as he could not escape again.

"I'll take the girl back to her cell," said Dr. Howard taking Alice in his arms from the orderly, "get the grounds keeper to come in and help you clean up the mess. In a few hours, Dr. Ader and myself will return and will deal with Alastair." he then turned around and slowly waked back to the cells. Dr. Howard normally walked down the halls like any young man would, full of confidence and a spring in his step, but tonight like that fateful night of the suicides, he walked like a man twice his age. As he slowly dragged his feet along the way, he looked at the girl, seeing that nothing about her demeanor had changed, but he decided to talk out loud, to himself rather than her, in which was fine, she wasn't 'aware' of him anymore, shortly after the orderlies had grabbed her, she has slipped back into the smoke.

"Well, this is a fine kettle of fish," he mumbled under his breath, "I don't understand it, Alastair in all of his years here, has _never_ pulled anything like this before..._never_." He sighed as he reached the door of the cell hallway, and continued talking to himself, "True, he's had several...incidents over the years, but nothing of this magnitude."

"And now," he said as he reached Alice's cell and walked in, "with this on his record...we have no choice now," he said as he placed Alice back on the bed, then reached down and picked up the stuffed rabbit and placed it back into her arms and tucked her in again, "but to do it." He picked up the knocked over chair and went to place it back into the corner, he paused...looking at the chair with an odd look on his face. He studied the chair, then after looking at it for a moment, placed it back into the corner. He then looked at the door itself, looked at the hinges and the door handle and the locking mechanism on the side of the door. He rubbed his chin and stroked his beard.

"Alastair supposedly 'burst thru her locked door', but noting about the door is broken what so ever, let alone locked," he said as he jiggled the outer door handle, "while his own door is off its hinges..." he said to himself, then turned to the chair in the corner, "and why was that chair by the bed, not in its corner?" he thought for a few moments, then said as he walked out locking the door behind him, "I think I need to talk to some people, as soon as this business..." his voice trailed off as he walked down the hallway, he decided not to talk out loud anymore, since there wasn't much to talk about now, besides, he didn't feel much like talking anymore, he had such a unsavory task ahead of him.

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Alice reemerged from the darkness, wondering at first where all the men had gone, but soon realized that she was back in her own cell. She didn't know what time it was, all she knew was that somewhere in the room, that there was a lit candle or something of the like, because the faint light against the only wall she could see, began to flicker and dance slightly. so for about an hour she studied every crack and texture detail of the wall. (Wow...that sounds like fun! Don't it?) As she did this entertaining thing, she started to map out certain patterns in the wall (the ones she could see, as she couldn't move her eyes), and some of them looked like faces in the wall. Not just faces, there were some interesting pattens that looked like animals, trees and other things. Then she came on one that looked much like a Viking boat, and of course this reminded her about the Viking Man.

'I wonder what will happen to him now,' she thought, 'the men seemed upset with him, I wish I could tell them that he was trying to help me, and not trying to hurt me...at least I _think_ he wasn't going to hurt me.' Then someone opened the door, and walked into the room.

"Hello Alice," said a familiar friendly female voice, "I've come to take you back to your room child." the woman picked her up and placed her in a wheel chair and during this placement, Alice saw that it was Nurse D, along with another orderly she didn't recognize. As they wheeled Alice down the hall, Nurse D and the orderly were talking about what happened with Alastair.

"I heard that one of the patients here took Alice here out of her cell and tried to kill her, is that true?" asked Dorathy.

"Yeah, it happened about two days ago," said the orderly (needless to say, that surprised Alice a little), "but don't worry, he wont be breaking out of any cells ever again."

They wheeled her to the adult nurses station in order to formally check her out of adult wing. As Dorathy was filling out the necessary forms, Alice was able to see down the cell hall. As she blankly gazed down said hall, she saw two orderlies emerge from one of the cells, but the orderly got in front of her line of vision and she couldn't see anything for a moment. But he soon moved of the way and she saw that Alastair was being guided by the orderlies toward the lounge area. At first she didn't think twice about it, but then, as they got closer to her, she noticed something different about him. He shuffled his feet and took tiny steps, his face showed no emotion, his eyes were glassy and blank and as they were about six feet away from her, she saw that he had two, three inch incision scars on his head. The orderlies paused for a moment, having to check with the nurses station as well, leaving Alastair standing there in Alice's sight.

"That's him," said the orderly with Nurse D, pointing to him, "that's the man that attacked her, he had a record of minor violence, but what happened that night, forced Dr. Alder and Dr. Howard to give him a lobotomy."

"He really could have hurt her, couldn't he?" said Nurse D.

"Yeah, he killed his own daughter years and years ago, and Alice does resemble his daughter slightly. He probably would have killed her if we hadn't stopped him, he _did _have his hand near her neck when we found them."

"Oh, well I'm glad that you stopped him, and that Alice will soon be safe back in the juvenile ward..." Nurse D and the orderly continued to talk to each other, but Alice wasn't listening, she was looking at Alastair. She felt so sorry, she fully didn't understand fully what a lobotomy did to people, but she saw that the warm gently eyes he once had, had glazed over and utterly aloof, nothing was there anymore, they seemed to take his very sole away. The other orderlies then returned to his side and gently pushed him forward, and in doing so, he slowly shuffled his feet forward and they continued onward. At the same time, Nurse D finished checking Alice out and so the orderly grabbed the handles of the chair and began to wheel her down the hall. Both groups, heading in opposite directions, soon approached each other. Alice tried to look at him as long as he was in her field of vision, he really wanted to say anything to him but mostly 'thank you' but as she couldn't, (and as it would have been totally pointless) she had to simply see him leave her vision, and say nothing. The group bypassed each other, and that was the last time Alice ever saw the Viking Man, ever again.

**So sad... and this chapter is dedicated to my grandfather who passed away while i was typing this chapter and who Alastair is based off of...I miss you Grandpa.**

**Any new characters are mine. **


	13. Growing Pains

**This chapter is dedicated to my reviewers, and other persons, who are:**

**MegFallow: Who gave me the confidence boost to continue the story past chapter 5, I probably would have stopped there and not continued to finish the whole story if she hadn't cheered me on. Thanks!**

**Music of the Sun and Moon: For being just a wonderful person and dedicating a song-fic to me! And for just being a good person in general! Don't let the critics get you down! Thanks!**

**sara haruko takenouchi kamiya: For being one of my newest reviewers and has put my story on her Favorites list! I'm glad your liking the story, I hope I can keep your inter... (notices Sara isn't paying attention, snaps fingers in her face to regain attention) interest in my story:) No malice meant, Sara. Thanks!**

**And you, Samantha B, for making me happy with your warm, kind complements...and showing me that I am dyslexic, and kindly pointing out my misspellings of 'does' and 'later'. **

**I larnd muhch aut skool skool done me mouch goude. ;) **

**No-no seriously, thanks for pointing that out, I'll have to go back and fix the chapters 'latter'. :)**

**And lastly, all of you nameless readers, for reading my story and were able to choke it down this far...Thanks! **

**Thank you all, for making me feel welcome on this site!**

Chapter 12: Growing Pains

The juvenile ward was looking better than ever, well...better than when Alice first arrived at the asylum. The walls had been washed, the tile scrubbed, and the dusty cobwebs in the high corners of the hall had been removed. As the small group continued down the hall toward the nurses station, Dr. Malkin, who happened to be at the nurses station as well, saw that Alice was back.

"Well, look who's back! Alice, how are you love," he said to her "I heard what happened to you, don't worry, you wont ever see him ever again." then turning to Nurse D, he said:

"Lets take her to the electric room, I want to test something with her, but I have to retrieve something from my office so I'll meet you there." he then ran off to his office while Nurse D and the orderly wheeled Alice to the electric room and then entered.

The room was almost like a surgery room, with a large table in the middle of the room, and there were some sort of equipment around the table. The most interesting two objects in the room was a large round metal object in a far corner that had an electric cable running from it into another smaller object with buttons and knobs; that object had another smaller cord running out from it, but what it led to was a mystery to Alice. The orderly stopped pushing the chair and picked up Alice and laid her on the table, then turned to Dorathy.

"I have to return to the adult ward now," said the orderly, "I'll get someone to assist you." and he left the room, and a few moments later, Nurse P entered the room.

"Look who it is," said Nurse P with a warm smile to Alice, "how is she, I heard about the man." she then asked with a more serious voice to Nurse D.

"She's fine, nothing bad happened to her."

"That's a relief, I was worried about her; I have to..." but she stopped to look at Paul and Dr. Malkin walk into the room.

"Sorry," said Dr. Malkin, "I had to get this." 'This' was a doctors bag that was tucked under his arm.

"Anyway," continued Nurse P, "now that the doctor is here, I'll continue my duties." and she left the small group.

Dr. Malkin sat down across the table from Alice, then opened the bag and started to shuffle some things around. As he was doing this, Nurse D noticed that Paul's arm was in a sling.

"What happened to your arm?" she asked him.

"Oh this," he chuckled, "this happened when that Alastair fellow fell on me, along with two others. I only sprained my shoulder, the other two weren't so lucky. Don't worry, I'm getting out of this sling after this is through." Paul then looked toward Dr. Malkin to see what he was doing.

"What have you there doctor?" Paul asked.

"This," he said while lifting a head band out of a bag, "this is the new shocking apparatus that I ordered. This latest model," he said while pointing to the head band parts, "has these small copper plates placed at certain points to make a better electric flow to key parts of the brain, as you can see here. I think that small electric shocks may ease her catatonia." he said while replacing the old band with the new one.

"Are you sure," asked Nurse D, "if your wrong, you may cause more damage to her, in some cases I read from the archives here that most patients that received this experimental treatment came out much worse or even died."

"I know that this method is still being tested," said Dr. Malkin, "but I only plan on giving her very small shocks, nothing more than a small jolt. And if there is any sign of distress, well stop the therapy and try something else. Let's strap her down then." he said while grabbing one of the leather straps and tied down Alice's hand. Soon enough, they had all of Alice's limbs and torso tied down, and as Dr. Malkin was fastening the last strap on her, someone knocked on the door, and entered the room.

"Hello Dr. Barr," said Nurse D, "what brings you in here?"

"I heard that Dr. Malkin here," he said while approaching the table, "had ordered a new eclectic therapy head band, and I was wondering if I may," he said looking at Jack, "if I may observe the treatment?"

"You may," said Jack, still slightly annoyed with Dr. Barr's comments at the meeting, "have you ever used electric therapy before Doctor?"

"Ever since its invention." said Dr. Barr.

"Right," mumbled Jack, "Paul, turn on the generator."

The generator, was the larger object that feed the electricity into the electric therapy device. Rutledges, (at the time) was one of the few Asylums that had electricity and a separate generator just for the shock room. When Paul turned on the generator, it sputtered slightly then roared to life, creating loud electric sparking sounds and grinding noises, making Paul back away from in, thinking that it may explode on him.

"Alright, then I'll just turn on the machine," he said while turning a knob from 'off' to 'on' on the control panel, in which it made a low humming sound. He then said to Nurse D:

"Wright down Nurse that we started the therapy at the level one."

"Yes, Doctor." said Nurse D, grabbing a notebook and began to scribble the information down.

"Level one...hmpf," said Dr. Barr, "don't you think you should start at a higher level than that, Dr. Malkin?"

"Not yet," said Dr. Malkin, "I want to test the lower levels first, nurse come here and hold this," he then picked up the shock band and handed it to Nurse D, who in tern held the device on the leather safety straps; Jack walked back over to the control panel, "testing," he said flipping a small switch that sent electricity to the band, in which they all could hear the electricity pass too and fro the copper plates, "off," he then turned off the device and the electricity flow.

Dr. Malkin then retrieved the head band from Dorathy and placed it on Alice's head, then he strapped her head down with another leather strap and walked back to the control panel.

"Ready," he said to everyone, "on," then flipped one switch on again. Even though the device was set at the lowest level, it still made Alice's body tense up slightly, luckily for her, she was completely unaware of everything that was taking place. "Off," said Dr. Malkin, switching it off, then looked at her for any signs of awareness or distress in her. Seeing neither of these, he then said:

"Take note that patient had no reaction to level one electric therapy," said Dr. Malkin to Nurse D, "we'll proceeded to level two."

"If I may re-literate Doctor," said Dr. Barr, "that it may prove more effective that if we start at a higher level."

"I appreciate that your more than willing to offer your advice Dr. Barr," said Jack, _'even though its not wanted,' _he thought to himself, "but I feel that if we start off at a higher intensity of electricity, we may harm her, not help her."

"Poppy talk," said Dr. Barr, "I've treated 20 patients with this device, 6 of which were young children like herself, and I can assure you, that starting at a higher level will not cause any harmful affects...here," he said while moving Dr. Malkin out of the way of the control panel, "allow me to show you," Denman then switched the level knob from level one, to level 7, "its also better if you leave the current on for several seconds, at least 5 seconds."

"5 seconds may be too long for _any_ patient, Doctor." said Dr. Malkin, not covering up is annoyance with him.

"I have to agree," said Paul, "that seems an awful long time to have electricity running through your brain."

"Nonsense," said Dr. Barr without looking at either of them, rather, looking at his fingernails, "try it yourself, Doctor, and you'll see for your self, and if you don't like it, you can simply go back doing it the hard way." he said while moving out of the way of the control panel and giving a small mock bow.

Dr. Malkin was rather angry by this deliberate attack of his methods, and boldly walked up to the control panel to turn it on. As he held the control knob in his hand, he then started to think about the well-being of his patient. His hand slightly loosened its grip on the knob, and Dr. Barr caught this.

"Well," he said with a small sneer, tilting his head slightly upward, "go on, get on with it." Jack glanced at him slightly, then turned back toward the panel to take action, but after a few more seconds of mental evaluation of the task at hand, and some sole searching, he let go the knob and lowered his arm.

"What's wrong doctor, can't do it?" chuckled Denman, "well, I suppose that's what comes with such a strong emotional attachment with your patients." Jack turned to face him and was going to give him a good, choking-size piece of his mind, but was interrupted by a new voice.

"Ah, there you are Dr. Barr," said Dr. Howard poking his head through the door, "I need to have a word with you now, please come to my office with me."

"If you'll all excuse me," said Dr. Barr and turned and left the room with Dr. Howard.

"We'll try this again tomorrow," said Dr. Malkin to the remaining party, "when that magisterial, Gods-gift-to-the-medical-field, isn't here." Paul and Dorathy chuckled softly to themselves as they unstrapped Alice from the table.

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Meanwhile, Dr. Barr and Dr. Howard silently made their way to Ivan's office and entered it.

"Have a seat, doctor." said Ivan, flatly. Dr. Barr sat in a chair, followed by Dr. Howard, who seemed slightly agitated.

"Now," said Dr. Barr with a smile on his face, "what's all this..."

"Quiet," said Dr. Howard very bluntly, "this isn't a 'chitchat'." Dr. Barr's smile faded very quickly and realized that this was a very serious matter.

"Uhm...is there," said Dr. Barr, leaning forward with his left arm still on the chair's arm, while he made a whirling gesture with his right hand, "something wrong, sir?"

"Your DAMN right there's something wrong," yelled out Ivan, causing Dr. Barr to jump and take a more serious posture, for you see, Dr. Ivan Howard hardly never used curse words, he had a very clean mouth, but when he used them, he was pretty ticked off, "it's you."

"M-me sir," said Dr. Barr with total 'innocence' in his voice, "Ivan, I'm sure..."

"_Dr. Howard_, if you please." said Ivan very sternly.

"Y-yes, Dr. Howard," said Dr. Barr, totally caught off guard for this sort of encounter, "wh-what's wrong with..."

"What's wrong," said Dr. Howard, standing up and circling to the front of the desk, "is your conduct."

"My con-conduct, Dr. Howard?"

"Yes, you conduct." he said sitting on top of his desk, right in front of Denman, much like a teacher is yelling at the front row class clown. "It is interesting that you were conveniently in the adult ward to spot Alastair breaking out of his cell," Dr. Howard leaned forward, "what were you doing in the adult ward?"

"I-I...I was," stammered Dr. Barr.

"AND I've talked to the nurses in the ward, they said that _you_ had _MY_ approval to enter the ward...to _see_ a certain patient...correct?"

Dr. Barr said nothing.

Dr. Howard waited for an answer from him, but as he sat there, with his hand stuck in the cookie jar, Dr. Howard continued.

"Did you think that I would not question things, do you think that I don't know what goes on here...do you take me as a fool?

Dr. Barr said nothing, but slowly nodded 'no'. There was a long, tense pause in the conversation, with Denman burning under the steady gaze of an agitated man.

"Dr. Barr," he said standing back up; walking back to his chair and then sitting down, "this behavior is unacceptable...and normally inexcusable."

Dr. Barr was confused, " 'N-normally'?"

"Normally, this stunt would qualify for a permanent expulsion from Rutledges, but as is, we're shorthanded, so I'm cutting you a break and giving you one more chance."

Dr. Barr was dumbfounded at this strange turn of events.

"Er...thank..."

"Don't be thanking me just yet," said Dr. Howard, "I'm transferring you to the adult ward as the head psychologist there. You will not be allowed back into the juvenile ward unless escorted, by _myself_, at all times."

Dr. Barr was completely blown over, "...B-but, isn't...isn't Dr. Alder the head psychologist in the adult ward?"

"Not anymore, he's decided to retire from the medical field altogether."

"Well...uh...but...wh-who will fill my position here in the ju..."

"That's been taken care of." said Dr. Howard with a deadpan face and a flat annoyed voice, which made Dr. Barr a little agitated as well.

"Now, see here Dr. Howard, I've put a good number of years here at Rutledges...and..."

"Ah, yes..." said Dr. Howard with a smile and waving his finger in midair at Denman, then turning toward the bookshelf behind his desk, "thank you for reminding me. Now," he said to himself, thumbing through the folders in the bookshelf, "where did I put those- - AH! Here they are!" He then pulled out a folder and another thicker folder and set them on top of his desk.

"You know, I was very devastated and disturbed when I found out what had happened to the children here," said Dr. Howard, opening the fatter folder, "and I was very determined to find out the responsible person or persons who did the horrid act. And so I began to do some research, diving deep into the personal records, and do you know what I discovered?" He asked Dr. Barr, lowering his glasses, giving him a stern look.

Dr. Barr was silent.

"It seems that there are at least seven persons who could have done something of this magnitude...and your one of them," Dr. Howard closed the folder and looked at him with total seriousness, "I can't prove or disprove anything, but I'm keeping my eye on you, you and the other six, who will also be transferred to the adult ward." There was another edgy pause for a few seconds, Dr. Howard gazing sternly at Dr. Barr, and Dr. Barr sitting there like a punished child.

"Is...", said Dr. Barr very humbly, "that all Dr. Howard?"

"No," said Dr. Howard, "you need to clean out your office, and move into Dr. Alders old office, by the end of the day."

Dr. Barr slowly stood up, knowing that he was caught, not in everything, but caught none the less, he knew that he would have to watch his step for now on. He headed to the door and placed his hand on the door.

"Denman," Dr. Barr looked back at Dr. Howard, "listen, this conversation we've just had," said Ivan a little more gently, "can just be between us, no one has to know why, just tell them I've transferred you to the adult ward to replace Dr. Alder, agreed?"

Dr. Barr's anger started to rise, "Agreed." he said slightly annoyed. He then quickly opened the door, making the man behind it jump out of surprise.

"Oh, I do beg your pardon sir...I didn't realize you're were about to leave the office." said the older gentleman.

"Ah, yes, very good, Dr. Barr," said Dr. Howard, "I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Heironoyous Wilson, he just transferred here, he'll be replacing you in the juvenile ward." Dr. Wilson kindly reached out his hand to shake Dr. Barr's, but Dr. Barr only looked at it, then humphed his way passed Dr. Wilson and went to his office to pack his things. Dr. Wilson was slightly offended, but more confused.

"Oh...did I come at a bad time?" asked Dr. Wilson.

"No, he's just in a rush to...pack his things to move out of your new office," Dr. Howard extended his hand warmly, "Welcome to Rutledges!" Dr. Wilson grabbed Ivan's hand and vigorously shook it, "The pleasure is all mine, I assure you."

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"Let's tuck you in nice and tight," said Paul to Alice while he was putting her to bed for the night, tucking the blanket around her body, "there you go, nice and snug."

"Did you make sure that you fetched clean bed sheets?" said Nurse M, poking her face in through the doorway, checking on Paul.

"Yes ma'am."

"Did you make sure that there is a clean bedpan?"

"Yes ma'am"

"And clean water?"

"Ye...er...no, I-I forgot ma'am."

Nurse M shook her head in disapproval, "Of all the forgetful people I've ever meet, you're the worst, go fetch some, and _this_ time, make _sure _you get if from the _washroom_, not the _kitchen_." with that, she continued her march down the hall.

Paul tensed up for a second, "I don't like that old buzzard, barking out orders," he said standing up, "double-checking everything I do, even if it was perfect," he said placing his hands on his hips, "it'd still be wrong. - - Go fetch the clean bedpans," he mockingly said while imitating Nurse M's voice, "then bring them here, then go wash out the filthy ones, never mind that's the CNA's job, after that, fetch me some road kill, I feel a bit peckish. CAW! CAW! CAW!" he cried, flapping his arms like a bird. He then embarrassingly noticed that Dr. Malkin, had been silently standing in the doorway.

"Ah, Nurse M," said Dr. Malkin with a smile, "how are you this fine evening?"

Paul looked at him, then snickered loudly with a big grin on his face, then both of them started to quietly laugh. After a few seconds of this, Nurse D walked up behind Jack and tapped him on his shoulder.

"If I may interrupt," she said with a smile (she heard the joke too), "I've brought the medicine."

"Ah, yes...lets administer it." Both walked in the room while Paul left the room with the water pitcher that was in the night stand to fetch the water. Dr. Malkin and Nurse D sat on the edge of the bed and while Dorathy cleansed Alice's arm, Jack worked out the proper amount of medication. Then after administering it, he handed back the tray to Dorathy and said,

"Take this to the soiled utility to be cleaned, then..." he stopped and looked up to see a couple of old faces, and a new one.

"Doctor, this here is Dr. Jack Lee Malkin and one of our nurses, Dorathy Danvers, or Nurse D. This here," Ivan said while directing his hand to the stranger, "is Dr. Heironoyous Wilson." Jack and Dorathy said hello. "He's our newest doctor," said Dr. Howard, "He'll be replacing Dr. Barr here," he said motioning his head in Denman's direction, "in the juvenile ward."

" 'Replacing'? " asked Dr. Malkin.

"Yes," said Dr. Barr with thick annoyance in his voice, "I've been 'promoted' to the adult ward, to replace Dr. Alder, whom has retired."

"That's great! I mean er, for you, Dr. Barr," said Dr. Malkin, "I'm glad you've been promoted..._and getting the hell out of this wing_." he said, with that last remark to himself.

"Dr. Howard," said Nurse M walking up to the small party, "I need you to sign these forms."

"Oh yes, this here" Dr. Howard said while taking the clipboard from her, "is our head nurse, Mary Maxwell."

CRASH!!!

All turned their heads toward where the sound came from, to see that Paul had dropped the full pitcher, which shattered everywhere and made quite the mess.

"_That_," said Nurse M waving her arm in Paul's direction in a very annoyed fashion, "is our clownish orderly, Paul." she then marched herself over to where Paul was.

"You clumsy oaf, is it truly that hard for you to do the simplest of tasks?!"

"I'm sorry, ma'am." said Paul, very sheepishly.

As the argument continued on, Dr. Howard said:

"Well, Mr. Redcliffe may be a bit clumsy, but he's a good, hard worker. I'm sure that you'll all get to know each other and become the closest friends. If you'll all excuse me, I've other things to do." and Dr. Howard started down the hall.

"...be quick about it!" barked Nurse M, she then noticed Dr. Howard walking down the hall, she then gave chase to retrieve the clipboard he still had in hand. Paul looked on as she chased him and as soon as she was out of sight, he made a face in her direction.

"And don't make faces!" called back Nurse M from down the hall, leaving Paul very flabbergasted.

"How did she know?!" he silently mouthed to himself.

"And who's this?" asked Dr. Wilson, looking in at Alice.

"Oh, this is my patient, Alice," said Dr. Malkin, "she's unfortunately catatonic."

"I see..." said Dr. Wilson, "perhaps we can work on some treatment methods for her together, tomorrow?"

"Why not," said Jack with a smile, "seeing that there isn't any new children yet admitted." Dr. Barr rolled his eyes in total disgust.

"I'll take this," said Nurse D, referring to the medicine tray, " to the soiled utility room now."

"Would you mind," called out Paul to Dorathy, "helping me clean up this mess?"

"I wouldn't mind, I'll go fetch the broom." said Dorathy, setting down the tray then walking to a nearby housekeeping closet to get a broom.

"Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you doctor," said Dr. Wilson to Jack, "I'm sure that we'll get along just fine." he then left the small group to return to his new office.

"Yes I think we shall, oh bother," said Dr. Malkin suddenly, "I've forgotten to write that report, um...Dr. Barr, can you hurry and check on Alice and make sure that she is asleep?"

"Yes, but only for a moment, I've still have to set up my office."

"Thank you, I'll go tell Nurse M and Paul." he said while trotting off to tell Paul and Dorathy, who then Paul stood up and started to walk down the hall to watch Dr. Barr. Meanwhile, Dr. Barr had entered the room. He looked at her, seeing that she was still awake. Looking at her made his anger rise, everything that he had done just finally caught up with him, and even though everything that he did was entirely his fault, he blamed her for it.

"Look at you," he said bitterly, "sitting there, thinking the world owes you a favor. Because of you, I've been moved to the adult ward, and I can't come back here without Howard to hold my hand. You know," he said very angrily but quietly, "I don't feel sorry for you one bit. All this is your fault after all. Yes, all yours. It's your fault that I've been transferred, it's your fault that you're here and _your_ fault that your family is dead..._all_.._your_.._fault_!" He then took a deep, calming breath, his fist balled up, but he released his grip when he could hear Paul approach.

"Is she asleep?" asked Paul walking into the room.

"No," said Dr. Barr, "we'll go fetch some more sedatives, we'll have to ask Dr. Malkin how much he gave her." he and Paul then walked out of the room and closed the door. Dr. Barr's anger subsided for now, thinking that his words fell on deaf ears, but that wasn't the case.

-----------------------------------------------------

'My fault,' thought Alice, 'how could it been my fault that he was transferred? I've done nothing wrong. All I've done is nothing. Nothing. But,' she thought, 'but, what if that is what caused everything, is that why I'm here, is that why my family is dead, why all the other children are dead, is because I did...nothing. But, I-I couldn't move. I couldn't tell them that he was hurting them,' she tried to reassure herself, 'it's not my fault that they're dead. But...but I could have done something to save mum and dad, I...I could have done...but I didn't...I did...nothing. He-he's right, it is all my fault, everything! I could've been home right now, with mum and dad and Lorina and Rhoda, sitting together, but their dead...because of me. It's all my fault.' her sedative started to take affect, 'because I...did...nothing.' The smoke returned to reclaim her, to take her back into the darkening madness of her scattered mind. She tried to fight it, but it overcame her like the ash from a volcano, fast and sudden.

Suddenly, she woke with a gasp, panting. Her heartbeat palpitating, sweat trickled down her temples. She looked at the ceiling, panting slightly, it was still night, but at a much later time, the moonlight was coming through the window at a different angle. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to squeeze the panic feeling out of her and calm herself down. She then realized that she shut her eyes on her own, she tried to move her arm and was delighted to find she could. She was happy she could move, she rolled on her left side of her body, wanting to move out of the position that they would always put her in. She took a deep breath, then sighed it out through her nose, feeling calm again.

'I shouldn't have worked myself up in that fashion,' she thought to herself, 'it just gave me a nightmare...I think.'

She looked at the wall that she was facing, then decided to take a proper look at her cell, she sat up in bed. She took a quick glance and for the first time noticed how...depressing it was in there. She shook her head in dismay, feeling sorry for herself, true she was happy she had motion again, but she didn't know for how long. She shook her head a little faster and rubbed the side of her face to try to stop herself from crying, but she suddenly stopped, she then slowly rubbed her hand up and down the side of her face, it felt...different. She then looked at her hands, though it was dark she still had enough light to see that her hands looked different too. She decided to swing her legs over the side of her bed to let her legs dangle while she tried to solve this strange mystery, but instead of dangling, her feet touched the ground.

"What on..." She clasped her hand over her mouth, her voice was different. She tried again, thinking it was just groggy.

"What is going on?" her voiced stayed the same, it was deeper than she remembered it. She started to panic. She stood up and walked over to the vanity, the mirror was turned up so she reached to it and straitened it, only to have the shock of her life. In the mirror was someone else, not herself, true the girl in the mirror slightly looked like her, but it wasn't herself, this girl was far to old to be her. She looked closer at the reflection, tilting her head left, then right, trying to make the older girl mess up and move out of the way, she waved her hand across the mirror, then she decided to touch the mirror, but as the older girl did everything she had done in perfect unison, it meant only one thing, she wasn't entirely sure why and how, but she somehow aged.

Now, of course, this made her very confused and very frightened. She slowly backed away from the mirror and slowly sat back into bed, staring blankly at the mirror, still able to see herself in the mirror. Her head was swimming, everything just happened so fast. Alice was more puzzled with every passing second. She was so focused on the mirror, she didn't notice someone enter her room.

"What are you sitting up in bed at 2:00 in the morning?" said a voice. A man then walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back.

"What are you doing?" she asked the man, slightly annoyed that he was pushing her. The man jumped slightly, but then pushed her all the way down and said:

"Here now, lie down and go back to sleep, or I'll fetch the nurse, and we'll give you a shot to make you sleep." he turned to leave the room, but Alice, angered by his demeanor, sat back up and said a little more defiantly:

"Look, I don't want to go to sleep, I would..." but she stopped, because the orderly turned around and harshly shoved her back down on the bed and said cruelly:

"Now...we can do this the _easy _way, or the_ hard_ way, you choice love." she looked at him, very surprised and angered at his behavior, but said nothing. The orderly then turned around and left; locking the door behind him. Alice was now left alone again, she looked to the right side of the bed and saw her rabbit, she picked it up and looked at it, remembering that it was bigger the last time she held it, but now... She then held it close to her heart and curled up into a fetal position, eyes still wide open from the shock of it all, remaining silent and alert, deep in thought, until morning.

**New character:Heirnor...is..isn..isness...ous..ness..., Uh...Dr. _Heironoyous_ Wilson**. **He's not mine, he's from the game...or somethin'. Who ever he belongs too, he's owned by them, and not me.**

**Updating:**

**Ok, I know I'm taking longer and longer to update my story, and it's only going to get worse. When I first published my story, I was in the middle of chapter 11, and I was thinking:**

'**By the time I upload this chapter on the web, I'll have 10 or 12** **chapters** **done! Yay!'** **But tragically** **my grandfather passed on, I was devastated, and had to halt my story for a few weeks, then when that mess cleared up, I was out of my 'writing grove' and had major writers block**. **The first one was the electric shock room part of the story, it took me actually two weeks of correcting and dialog changes. Then the second one was when Alice's dialog after Barr yells at her (2 days of changes) and the third one was the last page of the chapter (3 days). **

**So now, my loyal readers, I shall try my best to get back into the 'grove'. **

**Again, thanks for reading and for you patients!**


	14. Lost chapter' Journal Entries

**April 2, 2007The following chapter is based off of the 'lost' segment of the previous chapter, this is nothing more than journal entries of the men and women of Rutledges. Not just of the nurses and doctors, but some of the inmates of the asylum. **

**This 'chapter', would have been put between the segment where Alice is blaming herself, and then when she wakes up from her total comatose state, but I wanted that (the comatose state) to be a surprise to you readers, so I edited the entries from the chapter. But the journal entries idea was too good to just drop entirely, it establishes more character background and insight of the characters we know already, and ones we don't know, and totally establishes a time line for the story. It also gave me a chance to add more of a story plot(s) than what I was originally going to do with the journal entries.**

**This 'lost chapter' does not progresses the story, but it helps the overall story in general. **

**This chapter goes out to Xeras and Ubercribe, for unknown reasons, like my story... (shrugs shoulders).**

**So here it is, the journal entries you almost didn't get to read.**

'**Lost chapter': Journal Entries**

**January 14th, 1860:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard**:

The juvenile ward re-opened today, I can't guarantee when we shall receive any new patients in that wing. It has spread like wildfire throughout the city on what had happened in these walls, thank God they don't know the full story of what happened or all of the employees, including my own, lives and careers would be ruined.

On a side note, we have received our newest doctor today. Dr. Wilson's credentials are indeed quiet impressive, but I fear that he lacks...the special quality and gift to be a truly magnificent child psychologist. I originally wanted him to go to the adult ward, but I felt that removing Dr. Barr from the juvenile ward would be beneficial in the long run.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

Today had several benefits.

First of all, I received the new electro-therapy head band today in the post, with best regards from the manufacturer, also in the post, I received the latest theories and methods in psychology from my old school. But the best news of all...Dr. Barr has been transferred to the adult ward! There is a god after all.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Another day, another opportunity for Nurse M to once again to order me about like a slave. Doesn't she realize that slavery in England was ended in 1833? Oh well, enough about work, I do have good news, I've saved enough money to go to school in the fall. I don't plan on cleaning lavatories or doing the dirty work forever.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

I've been transferred to the adult ward today. Although I prefer being in the juvenile ward, I suppose I should look at bright side.

**January 21st, 1860:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

Without Dr. Barr breathing down my neck every few minutes, I've found it easier to freely talk to not only my staff members but to my coherent patients. The entire mood of the ward has changed since he transferred, and I, for one, am glad of it.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

The hospital has received three more juvenile patients today, that makes a total of six children in our care. I am pleased that we have regained not only the peoples confidence, but the laws as well. The law had threatened to shutdown the asylum, but the record of our hospital, private investments to the hospital, and the police investigations saved our skins...but at a price. Most of the private investors have left, leaving the budget slashed significantly, we will just have to manage with what little funds we have for now.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

I don't like it here in the adult ward. The patients and staff members have no respect for me as they had in the juvenile ward. This situation shall be remanded in all good time, though.

**August 15th, 1860:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers**:

I finally had a moment to spare and write my family a letter today. I wrote about my first nine months at Rutledges and about my fellow workers. I hope they write back soon.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin:**

One of my newest patients is a 14 year old boy named Herbert. I had a long discussion with him and I truly can't see what would be wrong with him. He is an extremely inelegant young man and has quite the sense of humor. Perhaps more time will be needed to extract any information on why his family keeps him here.

**September 21st, 1860:**

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I was packing my things to head off for school, when my mother and father came into my room and talked to me. My father slapped me on the back and told me how proud he was of me. My mother said the same thing, only through sobs and hugging me so tightly, I thought that my lungs would burst. Anna also came into the room, and gave me her favorite seashell, 'to remember' her with.

I remember when I took her to the beach and she found the seashell, the only problem was that there was still a little hermit crab inside it. She wanted me to remove it so she could keep the shell, it took some time (about two hours if I recall) for me to find a larger shell for the little thing. When I did find one, I placed the larger shell next to the hermit crab and in a manner of seconds, it scuttled out of the small shell and into the larger one. She squealed with delight and held onto the shell for weeks without putting it down.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

I've been introduced to my newest patient today. Her name is Emily. She's 23 years old, never married, brown hair and eyes. She's in here for delusional beliefs that her dead brother has been haunting her. Apparently, she is very lonely, for her family basically abandoned her when she was admitted here last month, perhaps I can quench her thirst for love and attention.

I happened to run into Malkin today; I asked how Alice Liddell was doing, he said what I expected for him to say, 'same as usual'. It makes me sad, such a young girl like that to be in the situation that she is in now.

**October 16th, 1860:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Last night, I had to go down into the cellar to fetch a bit of coal for the coal bucket by the nurses station. I detest the cellar, compared to it, the hospital floor is pollyannaish. Finding the coal room, I started to shovel the coal into the coal bucket when I heard the coal furnace's door open, I slowly walked toward the furnace and saw a man, dressed in a boiler suit, shoveling coal into the furnace. I decided to just turn around and go back to hospital floor when I stupidly bumped into several coal shovels. The man whirled around and asked who was there, I stepped out from the shadows and introduced myself sheepishly. Only then did I realize that not only that the man had an American accent, but he was also a black man. We had a small talk about what I was doing down there and what he was doing, and we soon became good friends.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Today was my first day at collage. I've meet and made new friends, meet all of my professors and acquired all of my books, which has drained my savings. I thought that I had enough for the books, but my math was wrong. I suppose then, it's a good thing that I am going to school. I'll just have to work harder at Rutledges to earn extra money.

**February 4th, 1861:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard**

Jonathan's dementia has taken a turn for the worst, he's almost completely retreated into his own delusion. I've raised the dosage of his medication and called in a treatment of leaches, perhaps this may help.

I had a younger patient today, an 14 almost 15 year old boy named Herbert in my office today. After a long discussion with him, I can't see why he's even here in the Asylum. He seems as sound of mind as I am. But his parents insist that there's something wrong with him, so they pay to keep him here.

**Herbert:**

I'm furious that mother and father has committed me to this insane asylum. I am of sound mind and body. It's just that, I thought they would be sympathetic to my feelings.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

I was assigned another patient today, a 12 year old girl by the name of Verne. She suffers from massive panic attacks for unknown reasons. The list that causes these attacks goes on for miles, she's easily startled, sometimes for no apparent reason. At first I thought that she was only frightened by men in general, but when I asked for Nurse Q to give her some medicine, Verne wailed and hollered as if the woman had just threatened to kill her. Its very difficult to retrieve any information out of this girl, but patients is a virtue, and slow and steady wins the race and all that.

**June 3rd, 1861:**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Today I had my first private session with Emily. At first, she was very un-corporative, trying to scream and kick me, the children were much easier to handle; this woman is a feisty one, but not totally out of control. Next time, leather straps will be required.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Father had sent another letter for me, in it he wrote how proud of me he was that I became a nurse, helping others regain their lives. Father also wrote about how the old mare had broken out of her pen again. That old horse would never stay locked up for long, she always finds a way out.

**August 26th, 1861:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

Everyday, I am slowly gaining Verne's trust. Months ago I couldn't even enter the room without her looking frightened of me, now I can at least enter the room without her even flinching. But approaching her still invokes terror. She needs more time.

**Jonathan:**

Dr. Howard is in total denial. I respect the man but he is completely unaware of what is truly going on. I've tried time and time again, but he refuses to believe me.

I will try once more to convince him, but I fear that he wont listen to me.

**Dr. Ivan Howard**:

Winter is coming, and we have several problems to fix before the first snow fall. This is a problem, however, since the budget of the asylum has been slashed by half. Preparations though, are to take place for more cold weather.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I've meet a young woman today at school, her name is Marry Ann Rosebery. She and I talked for sometime underneath the old tree in the middle of the school grounds. Perhaps we'll meet again there soon.

**December 13th, 1861:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Mother sent me a letter today, she can be so frustrating. She has never accepted the fact that I did not want to be married to Mr. Tillman; that I wanted to go to school and become a nurse first. Mr. Tillman is wealthy, but far to old for me. Mother has also hated the fact that I would rather work at the Asylum rather than a regular hospital.

Today I worked with all the bedridden patients, including Alice, its strange, she has never spoken a word, yet she is one of my favorite patients.

Everard is a good man, I found out that he fills and repairs the furnace. He apparently had came to England to escape slavery in America. Speaking of which, I've just learned that America is in the middle of a civil war. It is apparently about numerous things, about whether individual states can govern certain things independently like taxes and slavery and the like. I wonder how it will end.

**February 16th, 1862:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Everard and I talk often now, he tells me stories of his childhood growing up in an southern cotton farm. He was separated from his mother and father in a auction when he was 11 years old, and he hasn't seen them since. Everard is an older man, in his fifties, he seems like he has suffered a hard life. Mother has told me when she was a little girl, her family had slaves rather than servants, said it was costlier to have servants than slaves.

**April 8th, 1862:**

**Feather:**

Dr. Howard denied my freedom from this hell-hole again! How dare he?! Can't he see that I am well enough now?! Why wont he let me go home?

Oh, God...where are you?!

**Dr. Ivan Howard**:

Feather came into my office today, for her six month hearing, she has tried her best to convince me to declare her sane, but she does not realize that I have no authority what so ever to release her...ever. The courts did after all, sentence her to life here. It pains my heart so, she's come such a long way since she's come to Rutledges 15 years ago.

**June 14th, 1862:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

It is Verne's 14 birthday today, and I had the kitchen staff make a small cake for her. I deiced to try actually making human contact today with her. When I entered the room, it was the same reaction I've have received for years now, she would not scream nor flinch, but she did eye me warily, watching my every move. I set down the cake and tried to make small conversation with her, but she remained silent. Then, under the watchful eyes of the orderlies outside of the cell door, I cut the small cake in two, afterward, I handed the knife to the orderlies through the cell door's bars. I then offered her a piece of the cake. She was much like a wild dog, she wanted the cake, but she didn't dare approach me or let me move in closer. Having no luck in having her come closer to me, I was forced to set the cake on the night stand and back off into the corner of the room. Even then, however, she did not eat the cake. I left the room thinking that perhaps my presence was upsetting her. I'll have to try something different next time.

**October 8, 1862:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

Everyday, I grow more dismayed of Alice's condition. It's been two years since her admittance here, and nothing mentally has changed about the girl. Physically however, she has taken for the worse. She weights almost just as much when she first came to Rutledges. Perhaps Dr. Howard is right, perhaps she'll die this winter.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

As I was helping another orderly today, I accidently knocked over a pile of charts all over the floor. Of course that old buzzard swooped down on me and began to screech at me, she even looked like she was ready to box my ears, like I was a child. I detest that cold-hearted bird.

Professor Hepburn is one of the best teachers at the collage, but for some reason, gives me a hard time. Every day he bombards me with questions, and if I get one wrong, he gives me extra schoolwork to do. I don't know what I did to anger him, perhaps it was the same thing I did to invoke Nurse M's wrath as well. Those two should get married.

**January 6th, 1863:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard**

The furnace has broken again. The old metal walls just keep cracking, but we just don't have enough money to fix it, too many sacrifices have already been made for that.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Jeff is very incorporative with anything I, or any of the other doctors do. I've discussed with Dr. Howard on what to do, and he thinks we should enforce 'the closet' on him whenever he is disobedient. However, I think I shall enforce it more times than that.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

An excerpt of a discussion I had with Herbert:

"Did you have high marks at school?"

"Yes I did, sir."

"Did you have any problems in school?"

"No sir, I did not."

"Did you perhaps, have a girlfriend?"

"No sir."

"Why not, to shy?"

"No, just uninterested."

" 'Uninterested', why did you choose that word?"

"I...don't think there's any significance in my choosing of that particular word. I don't think I want to talk anymore."

It's strange, Alice's body is maturing with every year, yet the only thing that remains the same as the day she first came here is her relentless gaze. I truly wonder if she will ever return to the waking world.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Everard said that he was going back to America to help fight in the war with the north. I asked why go back when he was a free man here and had no worries of being enslaved again. He said to me: "It's not about my own freedom that I fight for, but for my people's freedom." I told him that he has to write to me every day, so that I may know what happens to him.

**Emily:**

Barr...I despise that man. He's a cruel, wicked man who deserves a punishment worse than the devil himself.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Mothers health is failing her, she seems to have contracted influenza. Thankfully, I've saved enough money to help the family to pay off medical bills, there goes that brown mare I've had my on.

**March 23rd, 1863:**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

While in town today, I happened to run into my friend, Mr. Milton, the bank manager. We talked for quite some time, and eventually the conversation went to Mr. Linndell and his financial situation was before he died. Apparently, my old friend had parlayed what little he had into a small fortune before he died. Henry was always good with stocks, he even helped me with it more than once. But his funds are frozen until his daughter is well enough to claim them. At least she has something to fall back on if she ever gets out.

**November 19th, 1863:**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Today I've enforced 'the closet' on Jeff. At first when we placed Jeff in 'the closet', he was very quiet, but then howled and wailed and banged against the metal sides of the small chamber. He continued this behavior for hours. He was however, released when he quieted down, as were my orders. The orderlies dragged him back to his cell room, where he still remained silent for several hours.

**December 22nd, 1863:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

Three more patients have died in the night, they froze to death. More blankets must be distributed throughout the asylum to keep the patients warm. Nurse Danvers came into my office today with some new ideas for the asylum. Her ideas are quiet interesting and worth looking into. She reminds me so much of Nurse Maxwell when she and I first came to Rutledges.

**May 25th, 1864:**

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Anna wrote me a letter today, she was telling me about how she scored the highest in her class. She is funny in that way, but I am proud of my little sister. My grades are climbing up, I thought for sure that I would have lower marks than what I have been receiving, but I was wrong. My mother is so proud of me and my career choice.

Mary Ann and I went to the opera today, we went and saw...something of Mozart's plays, I can't recall the name, but it had a man dressed like a bird with a flute. I really, normally, don't care for these affairs, but Mary Ann adores them. I'm glad that I meet her, I've become quite fond of her.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

While Everard and I were talking, I noticed for the first time that his right hand thumb was missing. I asked what had happened and he said that he was caught reading.

**June 18th, 1864:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

It's funny, every day on this date I always think back to when I first meet dad. Of course my biological father had abandoned mother and me, I hardly remember the man. Mother would work her fingers to the bone, scraping up enough money for the both of us just to make ends meet. Then one day, she came home with dad. If I recall correctly, I was about 6 years old at the time. I do remember, being terrified of him, because he was so tall, but he just smiled at me and patted my head and said, "Well, that's what you get for being so small." It took several more visits for me to adjust to him, but when I did, we became the best of friends. A year later, he proposed to mother. He was rich enough so mother didn't have to work anymore, and he had saved money to pay for my schooling. He's been good as gold to me, and truly accepts me as his own daughter.

**June 23rd, 1864:**

**Emily:**

He continues humiliating he to no avail. Every time he enters the cell, I just want to cri out in anguish, knowing what is going to take place. He makes sure that there will be no one coming to my aid, so I know screaming is now pointless.

My tormentor is finding new ways to satisfy himself, he experiments new medicine on me, in which I have no memory on what happens for several hours. I only know the pain that follows, the physical and mental.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I was helping Nurse P today with a older boy named Herbert. I enjoy working with him, since he seems perfectly sane to me, and to most of the staff here. I have no idea why he's here, but he seems rather fond of me.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers**:

For some reason, I can't stop thinking about my biological father. I know he abandoned us, but I can't help but wonder why he left. From what mother has told me throughout the years, he was happy with us. I just don't understand.

I can't shake this feeling, I have written mother a letter asking her to tell me everything about my real father. I think I would like to find and meet him.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

Paul Redcliffe, one of our youngest orderlies, is very amusing to watch whenever he interacts with the patients. When he's with any of the women, he treats them with the highest respects, as if they were the queen herself; when with the men, he also treats them with high regard. He truly shines though, when he interacts with the children. When ever he enters the room, all the younger children rush to him and want to play with him. He jokes with them and gives them piggyback rides; treats all of the children as if they were his own. This young man truly is one of the rare ones, Rutledges is lucky to have him

**July 4th , 1864:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

I had another talk with Dr. Barr's patient Emily, she talks to me freely, but she is hiding something. Perhaps I'll schedule another session this week with her.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

I've tried everything I can think of, and still, Verne wont let me get close to her. I've tried bribery, reward, praise and punishment, but all have failed. She has not said one word since her admittance here, and I speculate she may never will say anything, or let anyone help her.

I am impressed that Alice has survived this long, it has been 5 years to the day that she came to Rutledges. Perhaps, deep inside of her, there is a desire to live.

**December 25th, 1864**:

**Jonathan:**

Oh God, they've found out where I am! They're coming for me now, and there's no chance that Rutledges can protect me. I can't let them retrieve the information I know.

There's only one thing to do.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

it was Christmas today, and I had to work. I was sad that I had to miss out Christmas dinner with my family, but I was rather pleased at work. Nurse P was handing out gifts to all of the employees, she had knitted everyone either a sweater, a scarf, a cap, or a pair of mittens. She must care for me because she gave me a sweater, a cap and some mittens. Unfortunately, she had made them quite small, as that I can't even put on the sweater, cap and mittens. Perhaps Anna will enjoy them.

**December 26th, 1864:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

I'm at a lost for words today, Jonathan has committed suicide in the night, and had left a note to me saying that it was so 'they' couldn't get 'the information' out of him and it was all for the best that he died. I couldn't help him...I truly failed this man.

**March 2nd, 1865:**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

My comfort of living style is indeed a costly one, my tastes for the beautiful and rare are indeed overwhelming for my bank account. Even though I am a doctor and do make more than most men, I am always in the red when I comes to finances.

After years of treating Jeff with 'the closet' did I learn that Jeff actually has phobia of close spaces. All the more reason to enforce 'the closet' on him. But it was another successful session with Jeff, he's finally learned that I'm the boss, not him. Although his mental illness itself seems to be getting worse. I can't imagine why.

**March 18th, 1865:**

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Another session with Emily turned out very fruitful, she no longer cries out, nor struggles whenever our sessions take place. She has become very receptive to the treatments, perhaps we should have these sessions more often.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Mother's health has recovered. And now I have enough money to purchase the mare, I'll go down to the stable where it's kept tomorrow and enquire to the owner about it.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Received mothers letter today, she sounded angry with me, telling me that I 'upset' father, however, she did tell me the name of his best friend and pub mate and where to find him. His name is Kowin Brewer.

**March 19th, 1865:**

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I was too late, the mare was purchased only hours ago, by a coach driver. How irritating.

Of all the doctors I have to work with, it's rather hard to say wether Dr. Howard or Dr. Malkin is the most agreeable. I like Dr. Howard for his kind words of advice and his way of handling things, yet I also like Dr. Malkin's 'at ease' attitude with the patients. I can tell you, however, that Dr. Barr is the least tolerable man ever to work with.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

On my day off from Rutledges, I went into town to find the pub that mum said that Mr. Brewer would be in: The Galloping Goat. (And if you ask me, that is a stupid name for any establishment) I found the pub and entered it, it was a dark, dank place, that I would gladly never enter it again. Asking the bartender where Mr. Brewer was, he pointed down, where there was the most ghastly man I've ever seen in my life, passed out on the floor. Although I did not want to touch the man, I nudged at the man until he woke up. The man had a dreadful smell on him, both on the body and in the breath, and his speech was almost impossible to understand, but he did give me some useful information. Apparently my father had gone of to Australia years ago. I don't know why he went to Australia, but I am determined to make contact with him.

**November 23rd, 1865:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

It's my 6th anniversary here at Rutledges, thinking back to all the patients that have come and gone makes my heart either joyful or sorrow filled. I enjoy working with all of the staff members and all the patents, I'm glad I work there.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

I've received word from Dr. Howard that they're transferring Verne to another asylum, somewhere in Ireland, where she can be closer to her family that hasn't rejected her. It's truly a bittersweet moment, I am glad that she has some family who still loves her and wants to help her, but I am sorry that I couldn't help her.

**December 14th, 1865:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

As I was walking down the hall today, Nurse D stopped me and asked me to follow her. She was helping other nurses and orderlies clean out Verne's old cell, she told me to open the night stand's drawer, I did, and inside it was the slice of cake I had given her years earlier. I'm not sure what it means, perhaps I did reach out to her. I only hope she finds inner peace soon.

**Herbert:**

My doctor, Jack, is very kind to me. He encourages me to tell my true feelings, but I feel that the time is not right. Perhaps later, I will tell him.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I finally worked enough and saved enough to purchase a wedding ring for Mary Ann. I'll propose to her tonight when the time is right. I'll write about it later.

It was the perfect romantic setup, I took Mary Ann to our favorite spot on the river and watched the sunset. I then decided to ask her to marry me. To my utter surprise and dismay, she said:

"No". She wanted to marry someone else, someone who "didn't attend to madmen all day". She broke my heart today, and doesn't even seem to care.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

I've written a letter to the Australian embassy hoping that they may help me locate dad. It will take several months for the letter, however, to reach Australia, so I may not know anything for for some time.

**Emily:**

I've tried to hid it from him, from everyone in the asylum, but he found out. He found out about our child. Oh God, what will happen now?

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Jeff is not as stupid as I once thought, he told me something very interesting to day. Apparently, one night, he had broken out of his cell and then broke into my office and had read my journal, and has learned all of my 'dirty linen'. He then threatened to expose me to Dr. Howard if I didn't stop 'torturing' him. He's cleaver, but very stupid for telling me this while he was in 'the closet'.

Its rather amusing, since I have no secrets to hide, perhaps some more time in the closet will quiet him down.

Emily has fallen ill, I've alerted the staff members to not enter the cell, she is very contagious, certain precautions will need to be enforced when entering the cell.

**April 11th, 1866:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

Dr. Malkin is certainly different than any of the doctors here at the asylum. His methods are certainly far different than what I learned in school. But I am glad, I hope his kind approach to the patients may be how future psychologists will practice. He does remind me on how I first approached the patients when I first became a doctor, but he has yet truly learned the hardships of the practice.

**Emily:**

He tries to abort my baby, he strikes my belly with a cricket bat or gives me medicine to kill the baby, but I can still feel it living inside me, struggling to survive. Every failed attempt, he becomes more enraged and angered that I have to hide the pregnancy another day.

**April 21st, 1866:**

**Paul Redcliffe**:

Anna is dead. Apparently, she was walking home from school when a renegade coach horse charged round the corner and trampled over her. Her head then became entwined between the wheel spokes. I won't go into details but that is what killed her. Mother and father can't afford a proper burial, maybe it was God's will that I didn't get the horse or married ...then again, my sister's dead. She was only 11 years old.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Received word from the orderlies that Jeff had died during the night in 'the closet'. It appears 'the closet' has claimed yet another victim.

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

I've found the reason why Herbert's family has sent him to Rutledges. I finally gained his trust today and he told me that he is a homosexual. He said he couldn't hide the secret any longer, and he thought his family would understand. But they were "outraged, ashamed and humiliated", and they sent him here, demanding we "fix" him as quick as possible. It is theory that homosexuality is a mental illness, but it is still being debated. I, however, have more interest in his family, rather than is sexual preference at the time. When he told me this story, he broke down wailing sobs, he is devastated that his family has literally abandoned him. I think that this problem should be fixed first, I'll schedule an hour session with him in the morning.

**Herbert:**

Today, I gathered all of my courage and told Jack everything. He was very kind and understanding, I'm glad that he is my doctor. Tonight, I think that I will tell the man I love, hopefully, he will understand as well and accept me.

**April 22nd, 1866:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

I had just arrived at the asylum when one of the nurses rushed up to me and told me the dreadful news. Herbert was found dead in his cell, and the cause of death is still unknown. The coroner gave his word that he would tell the cause of death as soon as he could.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I feel that its all my fault, yesterday, Herbert told me everything...and instead of politely explaining my sexual preferences to him, I reacted in a truly horrible way, upsetting the boy. Today, the nurses found him dead in his cell. The cause of death is still unknown at the time, he didn't hang himself or cut himself, perhaps he poisoned himself.

**June 17th, 1866**:

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I visited Anna's grave today. We buried her in the family burial plot, next to grandfather. I placed her favorite flowers on her grave, she would have liked that.

I've found out why Mary Ann didn't wish to marry me, apparently she fell in love with an older man who is on his way to America to mine for gold. Good luck to them, I've heard the gold in California is all but gone. The only thing they have in common is their greed.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

I remember when Henry and Edith told me about that diamond they had received as a gift. From what I remember, it was a large, uncut diamond. Perhaps it is for the best that no one found it in the rubble of the house fire. Someone could have easily taken it and broken it up into smaller diamond or diamonds and no one would have been the wiser...perhaps that has already happen.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

I keep talking to Emily and still receive no answer from her as to why she is so suddenly very shut in. I'm at a lost, I'll discontinue our sessions for a wile, perhaps time is all that is needed.

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

I received another letter from Australia today, apparently they forgot to put in the parcel a letter that had my fathers street address that he had moved into. I've made all the arraignments to go to Shrewsbury in the morning. I talked to mother again about finding dad, she still thinks I should give up this 'farce', as she put it.

It's been a year since the war in America has ended, but I have yet to hear from Everard.

**July 18th, 1866:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

I Arrived at Shrewsbury today, I have found the house that my father had lived in, I write 'had' because he was no longer there. The landlord of the house had said that he had purchased the house because the previous tenant had become sick and couldn't afford the rent, and that he had gone to the hospital. I asked who it was that rented from him, he said it was Charles Danvers, my father.

I then asked him for directions to the hospital. I arrived at the hospital hoping that my father had left any more clues to his whereabouts, thankfully, the hospital still had his record on hand; it appeared he had moved in with another friend of his here in Shrewsbury, I was hopeful that I will find him soon.

I then made my way to fathers friend's house, hoping that he would be there. The man, Will Johnson, would have been a perfect match, drinking wise, for Kowin Brewer. He is a heavy drinker as Mr. Brewer, but thankfully, I caught him sober. I then told him my quest for my father and asked if he had seen him, Mr. Johnson then lowered his head and told me that father had passed away two years ago. He then gave me the address to the city cemetery and the number of his grave. I am devastated. I sought out years ago to find my father, and as I did find him, I am, unfortunately, too late.

**August 21st, 1866:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

Today, I visited fathers grave. He was buried in an pauper grave here in Shrewsbury, the only thing on the small head stone was his number, 86. I don't know how long I was, standing there like a sign post, when Mr. Johnson walked up to me. He then gave me a old cigar box, saying it belonged to my father. Inside of it, I thought it was nothing more than old rubbish, but then when I looked closer, I saw that there were old letters inside it. I asked Mr. Johnson what it all meant, he said that my father 'was too ashamed to post them', meaning that the letters were addressed to me. Thanking Mr. Johnson for the gift, I then headed for home, hoping that in these old letters I may find out why dad had left after all.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

I popped by the juvenile ward to check on some of the patients there, and I can't get the Linndell girl out of my mind. It has been several years since her admittance here, but she still has the same melancholy look about her eyes.

**Emily:**

Tonight ended in tragedy. I started having contractions around 6 o'clock, he found out and later in the night, took me into one of the surgery rooms, where I had my beautiful baby girl. But the monster wouldn't even let me hold her. He quickly cleaned me up and flung me back into my cell, were I could see the sheer horror of what he did to my baby. He took my baby and buried it in the freshly tilled garden. I believe she was dead before he did this because she didn't move or cry out. As God as my witness, he will pay for what he did to my child. I swear to it.

**September 28, 1866:**

**Dr. Jack Lee Malkin**:

Received word from the coroner, the boy had drank cyanide. A dreadful way to go. He must have broken into the garden shed and took a drink from the rat poison.

Nurse D proved to be quite resourceful today. Earlier today, one of the women was out of control. We tried force to bring her down but she kept escaping the orderlies. She then started to threaten to hit anyone who came close to her with the nightstick she pinched off one of the orderlies. Then Nurse D, calmly and slowly talked to the her, calming the crazed woman. After ten minutes of talking, she was able to move in close enough to take the nightstick from the girl and personally escort her back to her cell. I'm glad that she was cleaver enough to reason with her.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

An most unfortunate affair has taken place with Emily, she was suffering a most dreadful hallucination, and tried to kill me. It was dinnertime, and all of the patients were receiving their meals as usual; this time however, when Sam, our youngest and most inexperienced orderly was giving her the meal, she charged past him wile grabbing the fork from the tray. She then charged out the door and ran strait to me, fork raised over her head like it was a sword. If it wasn't for the orderlies who stopped her, I may have been killed. An higher dosage of her medicine will be required, I suppose.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I've finally come to terms with Anna's death. It took several months, but I'm found inner peace.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

As I walked down the halls of the juvenile ward today, I checked in on the Linndell girl. I don't know why, but all of the staff members including myself, find her the most interesting patient here at Rutledges. Something about this girl...I don't know, perhaps I'll never know.

**October 31st, 1866:**

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

Another death in the asylum today, Emily, the young woman I tried to reach has slashed her wrists with a broken bit of concrete she somehow smuggled in from the outer walls of the asylum. I tried to retrieve the diary that I knew she was keeping, hoping to find out why she did this and perhaps uncover her secrets she refused to share, but the whereabouts of it remain a mystery.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Emily has killed herself, haven't the time to write more.

**November 23rd, 1866**:

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

Every time on this date, I think back to my old friend. While in my study, I opened my family photograph album and spied the one with me and him at that day at the race track. We were lucky that day and won quite the sum of money. It truly does pain me, thinking back to the day when his house burned down and killed his family, all but one...but as she is now...she may as well be dead. I truly do miss my old friend.

**August 19th, 1867**:

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

It's been a year since I received the cigar box containing fathers letters, and I have not yet read one. I just can't bring myself to it. I'm afraid of finding out the truth. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

**Dr. Denman Cade Barr**:

The housemaids and all of the other staff members of my estate are demanding a higher wage. I keep telling them that money isn't as accessible as it once was. I need an escape from this financial bind I'm in.

**February 4th, 1868:**

**Miss. Dorathy Danvers:**

I don't know why, but throughout the years I've kept a journal record of Alice Liddell. Perhaps deep inside, I really want this girl to get well, and perhaps if she ever does, she will appreciate it.

**Paul Redcliffe**:

I've worked with a certain patient for years now, and I've yet to write about her, despite she is my favorite patient. She is truly unique, despite her catatonic state, among the other inmates. I hope someday she will 'wake up' and perhaps we can talk.

**Dr. Ivan Howard:**

Dr. Barr is one of the best psychologists I've ever seen, but as a man...that may be debatable. I'm not sure, but I have my doubts wether he was or wasn't involved not only in the incident a few years ago, but in recent incidents. I can't be 100 sure, nor can I openly accuse him without proof, I'll just have to wait and see what the future holds.

**February 7th, 1868:**

**Orderly:**

Tonight was my first shift here at Rutledges. It was a quiet night, most of the patients were quiet, all for one girl. Tomorrow, I'll tell the nurse she was disobedient. Thinking back, the girl is quite charming.

**Any new characters are mine.**

**Here is the time-line table for you guys to catch up on:**

**(1)May 4th, 1859: First chapter of the story.**

**June 15th: Second chapter of story.**

**November 4th:Through the Looking-Glass chapter**

**November 19th:Last day family is alive.**

**November 20th:Fire**

**November 22nd:First hospital and day we meet Dr. Howard.**

**November 23rd:Alice first arrives at Rutledges.**

**November 24th:Day that Dr. Barr gives Alice bad shot, first part of chapter 9.**

**November 26th:Pneumonia discovery.**

**December 2rd:The day Nurse M and Dr. Malkin start treating Alice for pneumonia.**

**December 3rd **

**to**

**January 6th, 1860:Children hurt, then Alice's recovery date.**

**January 7th:Kids die.**

**January 9th:Cadaver Examination**

**January 10th:Staff Meeting/Adult wing**

**January 11th:Dr. Alder and Alastair talk**

**January 12th:Viking man saves Alice from Dr. Barr**

**January 14th:Alice goes back to the Juvenile ward then goes comatose.**

**In short, this chapter goes from January 14th, 1860 to February 7th, 1868. Ya'all caught up?**

**(1) My story starts on May 4th,1859, when the real Alice Liddell is (literary) 7 years old. (May 4 was her birthday, and also the date the story itself takes place in the original book.) **

**The story 'Alice in Wonderland' was first told to the Liddell girls on the Thames River on July 4th, 1862, when the real Alice was 10 years old. The book was published in late 1865, but was marked 1866. Alice was then 13 years old (in '65). **

**This chapter is, and probably will be, the HARDEST thing I had to write yet. Writing several storylines for several characters expanding for YEARS is hard work, not to mention putting them together after you get them done, then adding dates! But its like I always say: **

**Any problem can be solved thru Riverdancing! **

**P.S. Sorry I didn't write any entries for Dr. Wilson, Nurse M, and Nurse P, it would have been _way_ to hard otherwise, sacrifices had to be made. They do keep journals, but...they hid them from me. :)**

**I had a fun idea: **

**These 'journal entries' have quite the potentiality to becoming a entire story in itself. But as I am currently writing this one, I may not get around to writing it for...a long time. But anyone who may want to take up the offer and/or challenge to write it, you have my full permission to do so, as long as you give me credit for the characters I have created. If so, go for it, if not...I may try later in life, but not now.**

**If I have made any time-line, storyline inconsistencies in this chapter, _please_ tell me and I will fix it as soon as time allows. **

**Any questions and/or comments are welcome, and thanks for your time and patients!**


	15. A long overdue talk

**Chapter 13: A long overdue talk **

Nurse D was walking up the steps of Rutledges, thinking of the long day ahead of her. She had worked the night shift only the day before, and after all these years, she still couldn't adjust from the night shift to the day shift. But she did prefer the day compared to the night, she could at least talk, rather than whisper. She was almost at the top of the stairs when she heard the familiar trot of Nurse M. Nurse D turned around and smiled at her, (only for sheer courtesy) and said:

"Good morning Mary, how are you this morning?"

"_Nurse M_," corrected Nurse M, "we're at work now, Nurse D, you know that."

'Well, I tried.' Thought Dorathy.

Nurse M then walked passed Nurse D and headed for the Nurses Station in the adult ward, to retrieve the nightly report. Nurse D, however, headed for the juvenile ward to check in for the day. She walked to the station and picked up the clipboard and signed her name in the appropriate time slot, she when to put it down but it was snatched from her hand from Nurse M, who also signed in.

"My, you're quick," said Nurse D, a little startled that she had snatched the clipboard from her.

"You know I always check in right at 7 o'clock...sharp," she said bitterly, "not a second late or early. Always on time, all the time." She then set the clipboard down and looked around the desk for the night report. But it wasn't in its 'proper place', she then looked up and saw an orderly writing on it. She marched up to the man and also snatched it from his hands.

"It's 7 o'clock," she scorned him, wagging the clipboard in his face as if it were her finger, "you should have had this finished ten minutes ago."

"I had to..." pleaded the man.

"App-buh-buh-buh!," she said rasing her hand, "No excuses, I'm in a good humor this morning," 'You _are_?' thought Nurse D, "I'll only give you a written warning, rather than completely writing you up." She then started to flip through the pages, then saying without looking up:

"Any problems with the patients?"

"Only one," said the man, "she was sitting up around 2 in the morning, when I told her to go back to sleep, she refused. I had to use force, but she then stayed down."

"I see..." said Nurse M, "we'll have to fix that. Who was it?"

"I don't know her name, but she's in room 7."

Nurse M and Nurse D looked up at him.

"_Room 7_, that's not likely," said Nurse M, "that patient has been comatose for years now."

"Are you sure?" asked Nurse D more politely.

"Yes, go see for yourselves." said the orderly, who then turned to gather his things to go home. Nurse M and Nurse D walked up to room 7 and opened the door's eye slot. Nurse D looked into the room to see Alice facing the opposite wall on her side, her back facing the door.

"Alice," said Nurse D, "Alice," she continued, truly expecting the same reaction she had been receiving for years, "are you awake?" There was no reaction from Alice for a few seconds, and Nurse D was just about to close the eye slot, but then Alice slowly said:

"Yes."

Nurse D and Nurse M looked at each other, then Nurse M said:

"Can you hear us?"

"If I couldn't _hear_ you," said Alice after she turned to face the door with a slightly annoyed look on her face, "I wouldn't have said anything." She then turned back around and continued to look at the opposite wall. Nurse M then closed the eye slot; then said to Dorathy:

"Go get her doctor, I'll go fetch Dr. Howard." She then marched away toward Dr. Howard's office. Nurse D then walked over to the orderly who was just about to leave, grabbed his arm and said:

"When did you say she was awake and talking?"

"Around two in the morning," said the orderly, "but she wasn't talking, she was just looking at the wall."

"The wall with the window?"

"No, the one with the vanity. Is that all, I've got to go now?"

"Yes, thank you for answering my questions." said Nurse D, letting go of his arm, then walking down the hall to find Dr. Malkin.

Dr. Malkin was in another cell, treating another patient of his, with Paul and another nurse in the cell with him.

"...And when did these 'false memories' start?" said Dr. Malkin to the boy he was talking too. Nurse D then opened the cell door, as it was unlocked, without knocking on the door and said to Dr. Malkin:

"Doctor, Alice Liddell is speaking."

"What?" said Dr. Malkin, "Uh, John," he said to the boy, closing the case file, "we'll finish this discussion later. I'll come back tomorrow, all right?" The boy nodded, with that, Dr. Malkin fallowed Nurse D to cell 7, with Paul behind them, even though he wasn't asked to fallow them, he wanted to see this for himself. When they reached the cell, they ran into Nurse M and Dr. Howard, who which had Alice's case file.

"Nurse M here," said Dr. Howard, "said the Liddell girl was talking. I happened to be looking over her file when she told me this, her it is," he handed it to Dr. Malkin, "I'll stay out here, listening and watching you, and Dr. Malkin," said Dr. Howard kindly, "try not to upset the girl, I'm sure she already is."

Dr. Malkin nodded in agreement, then unlocked the cell door and stepped inside, fallowed by Nurse D; Paul was just to enter the room when Nurse M grabbed him by the right arm and said:

"You can't go in," she said sternly, "you have to go and help Homer with the..."

"I've already help him with the bedpans," said Paul, annoyed with her, "besides, I've been waiting years..."

"Then a few more minutes won't kill you, go find John then, and see if he needs help," she said to him, "_I'll _go in and help them." Paul gave her a look, then begrudgingly turned around and walked down the hall with his hands in his pockets. Nurse M then walked into the cell, just in time to hear the conversation. (Dr. Malkin had been writing down information on his clipboard.)

"Alice," said Dr. Malkin, "can you hear me?" Alice turned and faced him, looking at the man, she did remember him, but he too, looked different than she remembered.

"Dr. Malkin?" she asked while sitting up.

"What was that?" asked Dr. Malkin, "Speak up, I couldn't hear you." Alice's voice had become low and soft from all the years she hadn't spoken.

"Your Dr. Malkin." said Alice, a little louder.

"Why...yes," said Jack, surprised that she knew his name, "yes I am. Do you remember me from a long time ago?"

"How long?" asked Alice. Dr. Malkin then realized that she had no idea of the passage of time. He sat down on the bed next to her; placing his hand on her knee.

"Well Alice, I need to ask you some questions first before I can answer that. Do you know where you are?"

"Here." she said

"But where's '_here_'?"

"Rutledges."

"Do you know what Rutledges is?"

"A hospital," said Alice, not wanting to answering these questions; wanting her questions to be answered first, "I want to ask some questions now."

"Just a few more," said Jack, writing information down, "do you know what kind of hospital Rutledges is?"

Alice said nothing, not wanting to answer it, she wanted her questions answered first. Dr. Malkin saw that she was getting upset, so he tried another question.

"Do you know when you came to Rutledges?"

"No...I don't." she said, but it was a lie, she did know the date and year that she came to Rutledges, but she figured that if she said she didn't, her question may be answered.

"You came here on November 23, 1859," he said, then he said more gravely, "today is February 7th, 1868." Alice was taken back. She thought about it for a moment.

"...that's..." she said out loud, not meaning to.

"Eight years." said Nurse M coldly.

"Alice," said Dr. Malkin, placing his hand on her shoulder, "you came here when you were 7 years old...your now 16 years old. Do you understand?" She looked down at the ground, then looked at him with a deplorable look on her face, the first true expression that Dr. Malkin ever saw her with.

"No," she said very woefully and softly, "I don't understand." She then looked away from him and said:

"I don't want to talk any more."

"I understand." said Dr. Malkin, standing up. He took two steps toward the door, then turned around and said to Alice:

"Would you like some breakfast, Alice?"

"No, thank you." said Alice.

"Ah, I know you're hungry," said Jack, "I'll have Paul bring your breakfast to you in a minute." Dr. Malkin then looked at Dr. Howard, then said to Alice:

"I'm going to schedule you an appointment with Dr. Howard later on today. You remember Dr. Howard, don't you?" Alice said nothing, wanting him to just leave her alone. Dr. Malkin then motioned Nurse M and D to leave the room with him. They left the room; locking the door behind them. Then the small group walked away from the cell a few feet then Dr. Howard said:

"This all must be very overwhelming for her. We need to let the shock settle in for several hours, perhaps even days. I'll see the girl later on today, but you all," he said to the group, "need to make sure that you gain her trust and gather as much information from her as you can. We don't know how much she does or doesn't remember about her time here. But be gentle about it, we don't want to upset her any more than she already is. Now, if you'll all excuse me," he said looking at the wall clock, "I have to go write some reports." He then walked away.

"Nurse D," said Jack, "go fetch Paul and tell him to get her some breakfast, then I want you to help me with the Smith girl. Nurse M," he said turning to her, "will you help Paul with Alice, I've a feeling that she will be difficult to feed."

"Of course, doctor." said Nurse M.

Dr. Malkin and Nurse D took their leave in opposite directions, while Nurse M, who had the keys, walked back to the cell door and opened it again and walked inside, to find Alice lying back down on her bed in a fettle position.

"Sit up girl," said Nurse M sharply, "you've laid around for far too long. Sit up like a normal human being." Alice looked at the woman, then sat up, annoyed at her tone. She looked at the woman; not really have formally met the woman before. She started to study her features.

"What are you staring at girl?" said Nurse M.

"You," said Alice with childlike innocence, "I don't think I know you, and if I have, I don't remember."

"Well, stop it," said Nurse M angrily, "you should know better than to gawk at people."

Alice was slightly offended at her attitude, but didn't feel like starting an argument so she then picked up her rabbit and looked at it more carefully, now that there was sunlight in her room. The rabbit still had its sooty look from the fire, but it was more dingy than she remembered, (it hadn't been washed in years) but it still looked the same as always, but then she saw it, she saw that the right button-eye was missing. She started to rub the spot it had been, to make sure that it was really gone.

"Do you know," she asked Nurse M, "where his eye has gone off to?"

"Dose it matter?" said Nurse M, and that's all she said. Alice was now officially annoyed with the woman. She slightly glared at the nurse through the corner of her eye, but then looked sadly back at the rabbit, seeing that he had been hurt too, because of the fire, perhaps. She didn't look long at the rabbit because Paul had just entered the room with a tray of food.

"Hello," he said brightly, "I've brought breakfast." Alice looked at him, not knowing who he was. It was quite understandable that she didn't recognize him, he had changed a lot throughout the years. He had grown about three more inches, and his face had matured; his years holding down large, strong patients had made his muscles large, not gangly when he first started working at Rutledges. Even his voice was slightly deeper, so she assumed that this man was someone she had never meet before. Paul saw that she was confused about something, so he asked with a smile:

"What's wrong Alice, do I have something on my face?"

"I'm sorry," said Alice, "I don't think I know you."

"Why sure you do," said Paul, walking closer to her with the tray in hand, (but he truly didn't really know if she knew him) "I've seen you just about every day, love." When Paul had said 'love', she suddenly recognized him.

"Paul?" she asked, just to make sure.

"Spot on," said Paul setting down the tray on the night stand, and slightly surprised, "I knew that you'd remember me," he said with a smile, "well, here's your breakfast." Alice looked at the tray, there was some scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and orange juice.

"No, thank you," she said looking back to the rabbit, "I'm not hungry."

"Well," said Paul, "that won't do. How about trying just a spot of this," he lifted up the glass of orange juice, and reached it to her, "and perhaps you'll find that you're hungry after all." Alice looked at the glass.

"Thank you, but no," she said gently pushing his arm away, "I don't feel like eating anything."

"Now see here, girl," said Nurse M walking up to her, "your going to eat everything on that tray, right now." Alice looked at the nurse, but she really didn't want to eat anything, she still had that horrid knot in her stomach. She simply looked back at the rabbit and started to rub the spot where the right eye had been, trying to remember what had happened to the eye, if she had known in the first place. Nurse M became angry, being ignored in this fashion, she never put up with this type of behavior from anyone, especially this girl.

"Eat...your...food." she said very sternly, with a hint of malice in her voice.

"Look now," said Paul, picking up the fork and scooping up a bit of egg, "at least try a bit of egg and at least a bite of toast, and one sip of this juice." he pleaded with her, he really didn't want to force her, but most of all, he didn't want to hear Nurse M squawk and scream. Alice looked at the fork, then looked at Paul's sincere face, she then looked at Nurse M standing there like an angry stork. She took the fork begrudgingly, looking at Paul with a look that said quite plainly: 'All right, I'll eat it, but I won't like it'.

She put the food in her mouth and chewed it. It tasted like the eggs needed to be cooked a few more minutes, they were slightly soggy, and they lacked salt, making them very-very dull. She swallowed it, then looked at him, wanting to not eat any more of the undercooked eggs, or anything else for that matter. But he then picked up a slice of bacon and then handed it to her. She took it, looked at it and concluded that it was very burnt and chard. She looked at him, giving him a look that said: 'Do I have too?', he smiled kindly, so she looked at the strip again and took a bite. It was indeed charred and grainy, and it hurt her teeth when she chewed it. When she was done with the bacon, she licked her teeth, the bacon left her mouth grainy, so when Paul offered her the juice, it was the only thing she took without giving him a look.

After a few sips of the juice, which tasted funny, she wiped her mouth with her arm, but paused midway because Paul lifted up a piece of toast and moved it toward her. She looked at the toast, then gave him a look that said: 'Stop that!', and she took the toast and took a bit of it, chewing it as fast as she could, wanting him to stop handing her food. As soon as she swallowed it, she said:

"All right, I've eaten."

"No, you're not done," said Nurse M, "you still have all _that_," she said pointing to the tray, "to eat."

"I said," said Alice, grabbing the side of the bed with both hands, "I'm finished."

"No...your..._not_." said Nurse M sternly, walking closer to her.

"L-look," said Paul hastily, trying to avoid an argument, and a possible brawl, "just finish this juice, and then _we'll_," he said looking at Nurse M, "not make you eat anymore, and we'll leave." The only reason Nurse M didn't object to Paul's proposal, was because of the medicine laced in the juice, so she remained quiet, with a sour face. Alice then looked at Paul, took the juice and drank it all down within a few seconds. She then set down the glass and said:

"There, can you please now leave?"

Paul nodded and picked up the tray and looked at Nurse M, smiling at her, please that he was able to bargain with Alice, and tell Nurse M what to do for the first time. Nurse M didn't appreciate that look, and her face showed it, and it made Paul's smile fade very quickly. Then both of them left the cell, leaving Alice alone. She was starting to regret eating, her stomach started to hurt and knot-up, so she stood up, thinking that walking around would help. She looked around her cell and saw that it was rather small, but she still walked around a bit, but not for long, she grew tired, all the years just laying around and what little exercise she had received when the staff had guided her body around, had left her muscles small and weak.

She then sat back down at the vanity, looking back into the mirror, really looking at herself this time. She felt her face with her hand, and saw how...concave her cheeks were and that her skin was a pasty-ivory color. She looked at her eyes, not at the eyes themselves but the dark circles that environed them. It made her eyes seem bigger than they were, even though they were large in the first place, and made her eye color seem more vibrant. She then looked away from the mirror and focused on her arms. She held up her left arm and studied it, it was certainly much different than she remembered it, it was longer, thinner than it was. Her fingers, as she looked at them, were much longer and bonier than they were, much-much different than they were. She then stood up and backed up to look herself over in the mirror. She first looked at her thin figure. She had clearly...well...matured. She no longer had the shape of a child, but the shape of a young woman. She felt her sides from the bottom of her rib cage, which she could clearly feel her ribs, all the way to the end of her hips. Even though she was emaciated, she still had a woman's figure. She turned to the left, then to the right, still looking at herself in the mirror, she then looked down her shirt, exploring what most girls...get to know as they grow-up. Looking at herself made her embarrassed and she quickly looked back up.

She rubbed her hands together and cleared her throat, walking back to her bed. She picked up her rabbit and said nothing. She was done doing that for a while, but she still had many questions burning in her head. She was pondering and pondering so hard, she was startled when Nurse D entered her room, causing her to jump.

"I'm sorry Alice," said Nurse D, "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I-It's all right," said Alice blinking rapidly, (she had been thinking so hard, she hadn't blinked once.) "I was just thinking."

"Dr. Howard want's to see you." said Nurse D. Alice looked at her, she knew her too, but she was different, just like everything was now.

"I thought that I was to see him later." said Alice.

"Well, it is later," said Nurse D, "it's noon. Come on, child," said Nurse D, while an orderly wheeled in a wheelchair, "sit down and we'll take you to Dr. Howard."

"I can walk." said Alice standing up.

"I'm sure you can," said Dorathy, chuckling, "but we have to take you this way." she said pointing to the chair. Alice looked at the chair, then looked back at her and protested again.

"I think I'd prefer to walk." she said hugging her rabbit.

"I'm sorry, child," Nurse D said more kindly, "but this is how we have to do this."

Alice stood there, not wanting to comply with her, she'd prefer to walk, and that was that. Nurse D then looked at the orderly and motioned to him. The orderly then walked around the wheelchair and walked up to her.

"Come on," he said grabbing her arm tightly, "sit in the chair." He then pulled her to the chair and forced her down into the chair. She looked up at him, very angry, but she said nothing, she then looked at Nurse D with the same face, Nurse D saw her anger, but only said:

"There's no use for having a temper tantrum," she said sternly, "this is how things will be for a while." Alice huffed, but said nothing again, she folded her arms angrily and slumped into the chair. The orderly then walked to the handles and started to push the chair out of the cell. As the orderly and Nurse D walked down the hall toward the office, Alice looked around the hall to truly look at it. She remembered the last time she was in this hall and was able to really look at it, there were a lot of blood and dead bodies, so this time was much more pleasant. The cleanup job that happened after the 'suicide night' (as it became to be known as), was the last major cleaning that the poor walls and floors had. (A modern health inspector would have a field-day in that place.)

But that was not what caught her attention, what caught that were all the people in the halls and what they were doing. She quietly watched some of the orderlies guide children to their cells; nurses and orderlies playing games (or at least trying to play games without shoving the pieces up their noses), and some of them start having fits. Whenever a patient had a fit, an orderly or two would come up to the patient and start to hold them and take them to their cell. Alice was quietly learning the rules around here, if you behave badly, she learned, they put you back into your cell, she would have to make a mental note of that.

"Here we are." said Nurse D. The orderly stopped pushing the wheelchair suddenly, causing Alice to lean forward slightly. She looked at the door and the door's gold-plated sign:

'Dr. Ivan Howard, Head Psychologist.'

"You can stand up now Alice." said Nurse D, and Alice was more than happy to stand up, she continued to look at the door with her rabbit pressed tightly against her chest. As the orderly wheeled the chair away, Alice turned to watch him leave, but then the door opened with Dr. Howard in the door way.

"Ah, Alice," he said warmly, "come in girl, come in," he said gently grabbing her shoulder and pushing her inside the office. Alice looked around the room, it reminded her so much of her father's study. The only difference was that the office smelled like strong peppermint. As she was looking around, she saw that Dr. Malkin was there, along with another Nurse that she did recognize slightly, but had forgotten her name.

"Have a seat." said Dr. Howard kindly, moving a chair out for her. Alice slowly approached the chair, and slowly sat in it, looking at his face the entire time. Dr. Howard was the only one she looked at and truly recognized him, he had hardly changed at all. This was a great comfort for her, everything, including herself, was very different and frightening. He was the only thing that hadn't changed in her life, and that was a soothing thing.

"Here," he said opening a wooden box, "have a sweet." Alice looked at the vast assortment of the sweets, ranging from chocolate truffles, to brightly-colored wrapped penny sweets. Alice didn't want one, but took one anyway, she picked a wrapped lemon-drop, she unwrapped it and put it in her mouth, it was very sour, causing her to pucker a bit.

"Would you care for some tea?" asked Dr. Howard. Alice shook her head. Dr. Howard smiled at her, then looked down and opened a file, her file.

"Well Alice," he said reading her charts, "I'm sure that Dr. Malkin here," he said waving into his direction, "has explained everything to you?"

"No," said Alice, a little meekly, "I still don't understand some things...most things." she said mostly to herself.

"I understand child," said Dr. Howard, "but in order for us to help you understand, you have to tell us what you know."

"Well," started Alice, "I do know that the earth rotates on an axis, and that..."

"No-no child," chuckled Dr. Howard, looking back down at her chart, "that's not what I meant, what I mean is, we need to talk about this place, your time here at Rutledges, what you know of it." Dr. Howard looked up at her, but saw that she wasn't attending to the conversation, she was looking around the room.

"Alice," said Dr. Howard more gravely, "your in an insane asylum, you are not well, do you understand?" Alice wasn't listening to him, she was preoccupied looking at a stuffed golden eagle on the bookcase. Dr. Howard sighed, he hoped it wouldn't be this difficult.

"Alice," he said a little more loudly, regaining her attention, "there are something's that you need to know, there..."

"What things?" interrupted Alice, not meaning to be rude.

"Well," started Dr. Howard, "I'm certain that your mother...never explained...uh," he stammered a bit, a little embarrassed about the subject, "well...how a girl becomes a woman, you see." Alice looked at him with childlike eyes, and this made him all the more nervous.

'Come now old man,' thought Dr. Howard, 'you know all about this, you can tell her.'

"When...anyone reaches a certain age, their body changes. Boys and girls change similarly, yet differently, you see?" Alice tilted her head, then shook it, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Well...er..." started Dr. Howard, but then he lost his nerve, "Nurse P here will explain the rest to you." he said pointing to the woman in the corner. Nurse P smiled at him, she thought it funny that he couldn't tell him. Alice looked at her, but then turned back to Dr. Howard and asked:

"Dr. Howard, I don't understand why I can't remember the past eight years, do you know why?"

"Well Alice," said Dr. Howard, picking up her chart and standing up, "you went into a comatose state, that is...well to put it in terms you would understand," he said kindly, taking into account that she still had the mentality of a child, "your mind went to sleep for a long time, but your body didn't. You did age and grow, but your mind didn't."

"What dose that mean?" she asked, a little more confused.

"That means that you have eight years worth of growing up to do." he said in the kindest possible way. This didn't sound pleasant to Alice, but it seemed she had no choice in the matter.

"Nurse P and Dr. Malkin will take you back to your cell for your dinner," he said opening the door and waving to the orderly with the wheelchair, "Nurse P will explain the rest of what I was talking about to you afterward."

Alice looked up at him, then stood up, not wanting to ride in the wheelchair again, but she remembered what she saw in the hall and thought otherwise. She sat back into the wheelchair and watched Dr. Howard close the door over her shoulder as they continued down the hall. When the office door was no longer in view, she turned around and slumped into the chair, rubbing her rabbits left foot in her right hand, thinking about what he had said.

"Are you all right dear?" asked Nurse P to Alice. Alice didn't here her, she was too busy thinking.

"Why don't you," said Dr. Malkin to Nurse P, "explain womanhood to her first, then we'll feed her. We won't do any more with her today, I don't want to overwhelm her any more than she is." Nurse P nodded in agreement, when they reached the cell door, Nurse P took the wheelchair from the orderly and wheeled her in saying:

"Now my dear, we're going to have a long overdue talk about growing up."

----------------------------------------------------

As Nurse P and another nurse left the cell, Alice decided that she could have lived life perfectly fine without learning about that! She really didn't need to learn about...she shook her head, trying not to think about it. She stood up and decided to look out the window to change the subject running around in her head. She never realized this, but her cell room was actually on the second floor of the asylum, it gave her a better view of the land. There was a thin layer of snow on the ground, but the ground patched through here and there. The gnarly old trees buy the main gate looked like guards, preventing anyone from entering...or leaving for that matter. She looked at the gate next, and read:

'mulysA segdeltuR'

She looked higher and saw that there were several miles toward a town, she didn't know what town it was, but she hopped it was close to her home.

"But what dose it matter," she said aloud to herself, "if I'm two feet or a country away, I have no home to call my own." She sat back down on the bed, causing the metal frame to groan slightly. She inhaled deeply and exhaled sharply as a sigh. She put her elbows on her knees and placed her head into her crossed hands; her thumbs on her temples, looking down at noting in particular. She sighed again, everything was happing so fast for her, she was hopping that this was just some horrid allusion, or something else, but she truly knew that this wasn't some fantasy, it was now her reality. She put down her hands and let them dangle from her legs, she sat like that for a few more moments until the door opened again, she looked up and looked at Nurse M walk into the room with a tray of food.

"Hello Alice," she said coldly, "it's dinner time, and I've brought someone with me, I'm sure you know him." Nurse M moved out of the way, and Alice tensed up when she did so, softly gasping as well.

"Hello Alice." said Dr. Barr.

* * *

**Whoopee, hooray and huzza! I've regained my writing ability! **

**I've actually had this chapter done for awhile, but the website had a slight hiccup or somethin'.**

**This happy, little chapter goes out to my latest fan, MalfoysMudbloodPet, and to all of you who are really liking the story. I hope that this chapter will suffice until the next one. **

**Again, any questions and/or comments will be happily welcomed and will be answered to the best of my ability! (But this time, look for the answers in the reviews...that way, the questions that are asked, and previous ones, mostly Uberscribe's can be answered so that everyone can read them.) **

**Thanks again for your time and patients!**


	16. A forgotten memory

**I bet you people either thought I lost interest in the story and dropped it, or had died. Well, obviously, I haven't on either one...sorry to disappoint you guys. ;) **

**Chapter 14: A forgotten memory**

Alice looked at Dr. Barr, she knew who he was, not having to think twice. The only thing different about him was that there was grey hare skimmed here and there on certain parts of his brown hair, other than that, he looked the same. The same cheesy smile, the same kind look on his face, the same sinister twinkle in his eyes. She was frightened of him, knowing what he was capable of. You have to understand, she still had the mentality of a seven year old, so she believed that she was totally helpless to him.

"I was so relived," said Dr. Barr kindly, taking a step toward her, "to here that you were 'awake' again. Do you remember me, Alice?" Dr. Barr wasn't really concerned about her well-being, he just needed to see something. True, Dr. Denman Cade Barr was a raping-sadistic-murdering-monster, but he was a brilliant psychiatrist, one of the best actually at Rutledges. He looked at Alice's body language, facial expressions, anything that would tell him what she was thinking and feeling. He saw her stiffen-up, her face relax slightly and she stopped breathing for a few seconds, her eyes fixated at his face. This told him that she was frightened by him, and in this, it told him two things: one was that she had reasons for fearing him (which told him that she knew what he had done) and the second thing was, he had the upper advantage over her.

"This time," said Nurse M, setting down the tray on the night stand, "you will eat all your food." she turned and looked at Alice, seeing how she was looking at Dr. Barr. She tilted her head slightly, "Are you sure Dr. Barr," Nurse M asked him, "that she knows you?"

"But of course she dose," he said sitting down next to Alice's right side on the bed, "I'm sure she's just shocked about everything today."

"Well," said Nurse M, "if she starts to feel uncomfortable around you, then you're to leave. The only reason I'm allowing you to even be here," she said sternly, "is that Dr. Howard thought seeing someone from her past may help her."

Alice looked at Nurse M, then she looked at the floor in deep thought, she was thinking of what she knew of Dr. Barr, from the house fire, up to the night that he yelled at her. She then realized something, the difference between then and now, was that she could finally tell someone what he had done. She quickly glanced at Dr. Barr, then hastily turned to Nurse M and said:

"Nurse M," she said rather rushed, "I need to tell you something." Nurse M turned around, annoyed with Alice interrupting her fixing up the tray of food.

"What is it?" she said, placing her left hand on her hip in an annoyed fashion.

"Yes Alice," said Dr. Barr, wrapping his left arm around her shoulders, "what is it?"

"It's...just," started Alice, but she paused, Dr. Barr started to squeeze her with his arm, tighter and tighter, to the point where it hurt her. She looked at him; he still had that mock-friendly face on. Nurse M became annoyed with the pause and turned back around to finish what she was doing. That's when Dr. Barr grasped her upper arm with the wrapped arm hand and clenched down on it. This hurt her, but she said nothing only because of the look he gave her, it still was a friendly look, but he tilted his head down, and raised one eyebrow, basically saying: "be quiet". She looked back at the nurse, then said softly:

"...Dr. Barr isn't bothering me."

"Well, that's good to hear!" said Dr. Barr, slapping her left, bruised arm twice in a friendly fashion. He then stood up and joined Nurse M fixing the meal, basically, she had been hiding some medicine in some of the food. Alice rubbed her hurt her arm, she still could feel where his fingers were. She felt trapped, she didn't know what to do. 'Be patient I suppose,' she said to herself, 'I'll try again when he isn't here.'

"Alright child," said Nurse D, handing her the food tray, "eat this, then you can go for your bath, then have a hour in the activities room." Alice looked at the food, 'looks worse than breakfast,' she said to herself, but then looked back to the two and said quietly:

"No thank..."

"Now see here," said Nurse M who had finally lost all patients with her, "you don't have a choice here! You will eat this, and be damn grateful that you received anything!" Alice was very taken back, she had never heard anyone swear before, let alone towards her. This upset her, almost to the point of making her cry, but rather than crying, she chose the other path, and went on the defense.

"There's no need to get upset with me," said Alice, setting down the tray on the bed, "keep that up, and you'll be thrown in your own cell." Nurse M did not take this comment well..at...all, her face became red as crimson, her face contorted, she breathed heavily through her nose, making a funny quiet whistling sound. Dr. Barr looked at Nurse M through the corner of his eyes, he was actually applauding Alice's comment, he thought it terribly funny to see Nurse M fume like this.

"Dr. Barr," she said piratically through her teeth, "go fetch John, tell him what needs to be done." Dr. Barr sneered slightly at Alice, he knew what was about to happen, so he was more than happy to fetch John. Alice knew she was in it deep now, she knew better than to say that, but it just blurted out. Alice dared not to move or say one more word to Nurse M, she was looking like she could erupt any second. In fact, Alice was very concerned for the now very visible large blood vain on Nurse M's forehead, thinking that it may burst at any moment. Finally, Dr. Barr came back, with a very, very large, brawny, coal-black man. 'Little John' was his dubbed nickname around the asylum, given to him by one of the inmates. He was the biggest orderly and man currently at Rutledges, he was almost as big as the Alastair. He was used to either hold down the strongest, most violent patients, or to intimidate them, mostly he just intimidated, no one wanted to mess with Little John.

"Alright girl," said Nurse M, attempting but failing to cover her anger with her, "you can either eat on your own, or we can treat you like an infant and force you. Your choice." Alice looked up at her, then looked at Dr. Barr's smile, then looked at Little John, who was doing his best to look fierce by folding his arms and scowling at her...he did a good job at it. Now, I for one, would have complied and ate the food, but Alice, for reasons unknown even to myself, folded her own arms, looked up at all three in outright defiance and gave a flat:

"No."

Little John, (who in reality was a very nice guy) then stepped forward and grabbed her, meaning to sit next to her to hold her still, but when he grabbed her arms, she pulled them free with a force that he wasn't expecting, (he reasonably thought she would be weak, seeing how thin she was), and she shoved him with all her might, making him lose his balance and caused him to take three steps backwards. Little John was indeed surprised, but he recovered quickly.

"Mm-_hmm_." he said. He then cracked his knuckles very loudly, trying one more time to intimidate her, he stepped forward again and this time he pinned her arms to her sides, and he forced her back down on the bed. She tried to squirm, but he clearly had the advantage over her. He sat next to her, wrapped his left arm around her body, pinning her arms to her side, leaving his right arm free to help with feeding her. Dr. Barr then turned to Nurse M and said:

"Let me try to feed her first, perhaps she will stop struggling if I do." She agreed and picked up the slightly-upset tray of food, (the peas were now touching the mashed-potatoes...making them now totally inedible, in my not-so humble opinion.) and handed it to him. Dr. Barr then walked forward, scooped up a bit of mashed potatoes, and walked up to the struggling pair. Little John reached over with his free hand and propped her mouth open, and then put presser on her jaw joints, making it so she couldn't close her mouth. Alice was struggling with all her might, but Little John was far to strong for her, she couldn't even move her head anymore. Dr. Barr then shoved the spoon in her mouth. She then immediately spat it back out in protest, right on his clean vest. This made Dr. Barr slightly upset, so he scooped another spoonful and said:

"See here, eat like a human _now_." he then shoved the spoon further into her mouth, causing her to gag. This time, John covered her mouth with his hand. Alice was furious now, she started to kick, and not meaning to, kicked Dr. Barr right in groin. Dr. Barr dropped the tray with a yelp followed with a long moan of pain. When Dr. Barr dropped the tray, causing a loud clang, it caught John off-guard and it gave Alice the split-second to squirm free. John tried to regain control over her while Nurse M rushed to the door to get help, but before she even reached the door, Dr. Howard and Dr. Wilson opened the door, causing all commotion to cease.

"What on earth is going on in here?" said Dr. Howard.

"She is refusing to eat," said Nurse M, pointing to Alive and John, "and she has assaulted Dr. Barr." she said pointing to the balled-up man on the ground. Dr. Howard looked at him, then looked at Nurse M, then at John and Alice on the bed, all but Dr. Barr, also watched him. He shook his head and sighed.

"Dr. Barr," he said with another sigh, taking off his glasses and started to polish them, "how are you old man?"

Only a moan was his response.

"Do you need medical attention?" asked Dr. Wilson.

Another moan followed, but he shook his head no.

"Now," said Dr. Howard putting on his glasses again, "what do you suppose caused this?"

"Well," started Nurse M, "we were trying to make her eat her..."

"Did you enforce the issue?" asked Ivan.

"Well...yes. She refused and started to get cheeky with me so we fetched John here and..."

"Well, there's your error then," said Dr. Howard, "do you not remember me saying that we 'need to make sure that we gain her trust' and that 'we don't want to upset her any more than she already is'?"

"Well...we..." mumbled Nurse M.

"You shouldn't have forced her so," said Dr. Wilson, "that only upset her."

"Well, no," said Dr. Howard, "they were right in some sense. They did almost everything right, the only mistake they did was use John here," he said patting him on the back, "far to early. Next time, you should use kind words, rather than brute force."

Nurse M exhaled sharply while Dr. Barr staggered to his feet. Dr. Wilson looked down at the floor and saw the upset tray of food on the ground.

"Shall I fetch another tray of food?" he said. Dr. Howard looked at the irate girl on the bed.

"No, not now," he said, "just take her to the bathing room." he said wearily. "I'll fetch the housekeepers to clean up this mess. John, can you help me with Maxwell, he's been biting off orderlies fingers again, Sam lost his index finger today." John let go of Alice, turning to her and said, "Ma'am." with a smile, then fallowed Dr. Howard down the hall. Nurse M marched out of the cell, followed by Dr. Barr, who turned to face her for a second and gave her a glare. Dr. Wilson watched on while they headed down the hall, he then called another nurse to help him with Alice.

"Well Alice," he said to her, "looks like your causing a bit of trouble today. Take my advice, you don't want to be labeled as a troublemaker. That will only make things worse." Alice's mode had changed when Nurse M and Dr. Barr left the room, so she said politely to him:

"Yes, I know, but..."

"Well, seeing that you know better, then you need to act better." he said kindly, "Let me introduce myself, my name is Dr. Heironoyous Wilson." Alice almost laughed out loud, 'Heironoyous', she thought, 'what was his mother thinking?' "Come now, it's time for your bath, and if you behave properly, perhaps I'll convince the cook to give you a extra helping of dessert at supper." This didn't encourage her, but she did appreciate his candor. She stood up and patiently waited for the wheelchair, but Dr. Wilson turned around and said:

"Aren't you coming?"

"I beg your pardon," said Alice politely, "but isn't someone suppose to 'wheel' me everywhere?"

"Oh," said Dr. Wilson with a wave of his hand, "let's not bother with that. But if you misbehave, then we'll have to use the chair, alright?" he said with a smile. Alice liked this idea, so she stood up and walked to the door with her rabbit in her arms. As they walked down the halls, Alice had was fascinated with all the new sights and all the new-found freedom she had regained, so-much so that the nurse and Dr. Wilson occasionally had to retrieve her whenever she stopped to look at something or wandered over to something new. This, however, did not annoy the doctor, so he never berated her for her actions, he knew that she hadn't the opportunity before to explore her environment, so he let her wander for a bit.

Eventually, they reached the bathing room, and that's when Dr. Wilson took his leave and left the one nurse in charge. The nurse lead Alice to the far-corner private bathtub that the one nurse long ago had taken her too. (And Alice was glad of the fact, she had been averting her eyes so not to look at the other inmates being bathed, and the thought of the others looking at her while she bathed was not a comforting one.) As soon as they reached the tub, the one nurse closed the curtain around it. Alice saw that there were two other nurses in the curtained area, and that the bath water was already drawn out.

"Alright girl," said one nurse, "undress yourself."

"I will," said Alice, "just as soon as you leave."

"I don't think you quite understand girl," said the second nurse, "undress yourself now, and then we'll help bath you."

"Hold on," said Alice, taking the defense, "I don't want an audience while I bath myself!"

"Nonsense," scoffed the third nurse, "we've bathed you hundreds of times before. We'll see things we've seen before. This won't be any different from the other baths."

"I beg to differ," said Alice, embarrassed of the new knowledge, "this will be different because I'll bath myself, thank you very much!" The trio looked at each other, now they knew why Dr. Howard said all three should bath her, she was going to be difficult.

"Now see here, take your cloths off right now." said the second nurse.

"I will when you leave." said Alice, standing firm.

"Alright, you had your chance girl," said the third, "we'll undress you." and with that, the three nurses surrounded Alice, well trained for this sort of thing.

One of the men, who was bathing himself, was muttering gibberish as he lathered a back-scrubbing brush with a bar of soap, he only stopped mumbling when he heard the commotion behind the curtain. All the inmates and attending staff members stopped what they were doing and watched the private baths' curtain as it swayed and shifted rapidly. They could hear cloths ripping and raised voices and sounds of struggle; eventually a loud splash was heard, and a large puddle of water formed on the floor. But that wasn't the end of it, more and more water was splashing out and voices were raised higher.

"Some people get all the luck." mumbled the man, then quietly went back to lathering up his brush.

---------------------------------------------

Alice was moping as another nurses was brushing her hair out. She had her arms crossed out of anger of the other nurses, all that fuss could have been avoided if they had just let her bath alone. She looked up and saw the three nurses march out of the room, they were drenched to the marrow, and had to change their own cloths. After the new nurse had finished brushing her hair, she set down the brush and said:

"Well, do you want to go to the activities room, or shall I escort you to your cell?" Alice did not wish to return to her cell, however.

"No, I'd like to go to the activities room, if I may." The nurse nodded, then walked over to a wheelchair and returned with it. (Alice had lost walking privileges...for obvious reasons.) Alice grabbed her rabbit, who also was a casualty in the bathing fiasco, and totally drenched, and sat in the chair without fuss. The nurse then took her to the room, wherein, there was a vast verity of people to talk too.

"Here we are," said the nurse, "you can stand up now." Alice did as she was told, but she stood fast, she was not sure exactly what to do. She looked around, squeezing the moist rabbit, causing water to drip out of it. She then saw Paul playing chess with another inmate in a far corner of the room. She saw that he was busy, so she continued her search for someone to talk too. She soon saw a group of children near a window, smiling and laughing with each other. She started to walk over to the small group to introduce herself when Dr. Malkin, who was standing in a corner writing down information on another patient of his, trotted up to her and gently grabbed her arm and said:

"Uh, Alice, you shouldn't go near those children."

"Why?" she asked, rightfully confused.

"Well," said Dr. Malkin, "two reasons, one: **(1)** Those children are not inmates, they're orphans, the only reason they're in here is because the separate activities room is being cleaned right now. And two," he said gravely, "you need to start interacting with people your own age."

"But...I was going to." said Alice. Dr. Malkin sighed, knowing that this large, emotional bound was going to be a tough one for her.

"Look over there," he pointed to a small group of teenagers in another corner, "why don't you go over to them and try joining them?" Alice looked at them, feeling intimidated, Dr. Malkin saw this and asked:

"Shall I introduce you to them?"

"Uh, no-no," said Alice hastily, not wanting to be embarrassed anymore than she was, "I shall do it on my own." she then walked quickly up to them, but half-way to the group, she slowed down and then eventually stopped walking. She totally lost her nerve, and stood there like a lost child, looking hopelessly at the group. She looked a the group, then at Dr. Malkin, who waved her on. Alice groaned, knowing she had to approach them or she would have to go back to her cell. She looked again at the group, then taking a deep breath, she started to take a step forward.

"Don't talk to them," said a boy her age stepping in front of her suddenly, causing her to jump, "they're not worth the time."

"And...you would know?" she asked him.

"Yeah," said the boy, "come here and I'll show you to some people that's worth your time." The boy grabbed her hand and started to lead her toward another group sitting at a table. Alice looked at the boy, the was about a head taller than herself (she didn't know how tall she was, so she couldn't guess how tall he was), medium build, sandy hair, a slight goatee growing on his chin, but the most interesting aspect of the boy was that one eye was a baby-blue, the other was purple-like color. He saw her looking at him as they walked, and he smiled at her. She started to smile as well, but then she felt someone else grab her shoulder. She stopped to see who it was, and the boy stopped walking when she stopped, also looking to see who interrupted them.

"Alice," said Dr. Malkin, "maybe it's time you went back to your cell."

"But," pleaded Alice, "I was just..."

"Why if it isn't the Sheriff of Nottingham!" exclaimed the boy in a mocking tone, "Going messages for the king?"

"Not now Bruce," said Jack, "just leave her alone."

"Ah, I see," said Bruce, "another prisoner that couldn't pay taxes I see...well..." but he stopped his mockery when he saw Dr. Howard walk into the room.

"Why...it's the King himself!" he gave a mocking bow to the doctor, "Your Majesty! How goes the taxing?"

"What's going on?" asked Dr. Howard, ignoring Bruce's mockery.

"Why," said Bruce, standing strait again, "I was just merely showing this fair maddened-maiden to my..."

"You just leave her alone," said Dr. Howard sternly, "she is none of your concern. Come Alice, it's time for supper, anyway." Dr. Howard and Dr. Malkin then grabbed Alice by her arms and gently walked over to the door. Alice was upset, she really thought she had finally made a friend today, at least an opportunity to make one. She looked over her shoulders at him, and he gave a courteous bow to her and smiled sweetly at her. She went to smile back, but they had left the room at the precise moment. She sighed softly, feeling depressed and a little angry at the two doctors for ruining her possible friendship with the boy.

"I know," said Dr. Malkin to her, "that Bruce seemed friendly, but you need to stay away from him."

"That's right," commented Dr. Howard, "Bruce may seem like a gentlemen, but he's a **(2)**kleptomaniac and has **(3) **narcissistic personality disorder, it's just best you stay away from him." Alice looked at them, then thought about it. She then asked:

"Why did he call you those things?"

"Oh that," chuckled Dr. Howard, "you'll soon learn that the inmates and orderlies dub each other with nicknames, Bruce had actually dubbed himself 'Robin Hood', and has dubbed other persons with similar references to the story."

"Like Little John?" she asked.

"Precisely," said Dr. Malkin, "I have to go fetch something, if you'll excuse me." and he turned down another hall way and headed toward his office. Alice watched him walk away, then looked down at her feet as she slowly walked down the hall, grateful at least they had forgotten to get a wheelchair to take her back. Ivan looked at her, seeing that she was pouting slightly.

"I know that today has been quite the shock for you," he said kindly, "but it will get better."

Alice looked at him, but didn't respond.

"Tomorrow will be better, you just need to adjust. It may take time, but eventually things will seem less confusing. Here we are," he said while reaching into his coat pocket, "come on, get settled in and I'll have Paul bring your supper." Alice looked into her dark and bleak cell, she sighed and scoffed at the same time while walking into her cell. Dr. Howard then locked the door behind her and said one last time:

"By-the-by, I noticed your wet rabbit, would you like me to take it to..."

"No," she almost screamed, "uh...that is to say: no thank you sir. He-He's fine."

"Hmm. Alright then." he said, then walked away, making mental note of the new knowledge from the brief conversation. Alice sighed, relieved that he didn't take the rabbit. It was her only true possession now, she realized, and she wasn't going to let anyone take it away from her. She sat on her bed and grabbed the dingy blanket and started to dry off the rabbit. As she was doing this she felt something hard inside the toy. She stopped scrubbing and looked at the bunny, she continued to feel the object inside of it, not knowing what it was. She then turned it over and saw a small hole in the back of the rabbit. She inserted two fingers and started to fish for the object, when she found it, she pulled it out, and when she looked at it, she about dropped it. It was the key her father had entrusted her all those years ago, only rusted now. She looked at the key, having memories rush back to her, of the day before...she went to throw the key across the room, hoping the memories to fly away with it, but she then remembered her promise to her father. She had promised him that she would keep the key safe, until he was to retrieve it. She lowered her arm, and reopened her hand, looking at the key. She then moved it between her thumb and index finger, feeling the rust on it. She smiled slightly and put it back inside of the rabbit, deciding to keep her promise to her father. Just as she had done this, the cell door's lock had been opened and Paul came in with a tray of food in hand.

"Supper's here!" he said cheerfully. He set down the tray of food on the night stand and walked to the door to fetch either a nurse or another orderly to help him watch her. As soon as another nurse came (Nurse P, by the way), he sat down on a spare chair that he had brought with him and sat down to make sure that she ate everything on the tray.

"Now, don't give me that 'I'm not hungry' talk," he said kindly, "I know you hardly ate breakfast, and nothing at dinner, and no tea today, so I know your hungry." She looked at the double-portioned meal, she went to reach for it when Paul said:

"By the way, I heard what you did to Dr. Barr earlier," he slapped her warmly on the arm, "good for you! I've wanted to do that myself for years, personally." Nurse P tried to cover up a chuckle, but failed.

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After a good portion of food was gone, Nurse P grabbed the tray wile Paul grabbed the chair. They didn't make her eat all the food, they knew she probably couldn't eat all the food in one sitting. Little did they know, however, that she only pretended to eat some of the food, she still had plenty of room in her stomach, but she knew how to fake eating. She had done it all the time when she was a girl at home, when her mother wanted her to eat vegetables that she didn't like. Alice was glad to be left alone for the moment, she wanted to think to herself. Today was truly an overwhelming day. After minutes of thinking to her self and not saying anything, she could hear the door reopen and saw Dr. Malkin enter the room.

"Hello Alice," he said warmly, "how are you this evening?"

"Fine." she said, annoyed that her thinking session was interrupted.

"Splendid," he said then he asked, "may I sit next to you?" Alice nodded yes, and so under the watchful eye of Nurse D, he sat next to her on the bed, reaching into hid pocket.

"Now, I'm not sure that you would know, but years and years ago, I had brought this music box," he said finally pulling it out of the pocked (it had been wedged inside the pocket), "to help..."

"Me to sleep." she said without thinking.

"...Yes, yes that's right," he said not changing his tone of voice, but very amazed none the less, "and I have been actually playing it for you every night for all these years. And I was planning on giving it to you when you...came around, you know." He handed the box to her, "I hope you don't think this sudden of me?" he said.

"No, it's a lovely gift," she said rubbing the top of the box with her fingers, "thank you."

"I'll leave you to sleep now," he said getting up, "if you need anything during the night, just call for a nurse." with that the door closed for the final time of the night. Alice looked at the box, studying it right down to the dent marks on it. She opened the un-wound box and looked at the clockwork behind the protecting glass. **(4)** She then saw that there was a painted image on the top of the lid. She smiled at the whimsical image and closed the lid, then wound it up. She set it on the night stand and climbed into the bed, and after getting comfortable and blowing out the candle they had left for her, she opened the lid and listened to the soothing music until she drifted off to sleep.

**(1)Many orphans back in the 1800, were sent to Asylums if there wasn't room for them in the orphanages. **

**(2)Kleptomania is a mental disorder that causes a person to steal. Steal anything actually, even if the person has no need or want of the item.**

**(3)Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a very serious mental illness. Its similar to just Narcissistic (that is, the person is self-absorbed and only cares for themselves), but it is far worse than just that. This disorder is multiplied, and can have other disorders attached to it. I'll explain more in the next chapter about it.**

**(4)This image, I have left for you to imagine...I'm feeling lazy right now, and perhaps later in the story may describe it...but not now.**

**Well, things are finally going to pick up, I do believe! I hope that you guys are enjoying my story so far! I see that I've got another interested reader, this chapter goes out to Demonabyss, for reading my story! **

**Again, any questions and comments are welcomed! If you want to, at least...but I would appreciate the review! They make me smile inside. :) **

**Again and again, thanks for your time and severely exercised patients!**


	17. Robin Hood' and his 'Merry Men'

**Chapter 15: 'Robin Hood' and his 'Merry Men'**

Alice woke up gradually, but groggy from deep sleep. At first she didn't open her eyes, she just laid there, enjoying for the first time in a long time, of just lazily sleeping in. But when she opened her eyes, she learned that she had woken up very early in the morning, the sun wasn't even up. She sat up and looked out the window, slightly frustrated that she had woken up this early, and was now wide awake. She then heard something tapping on the metal door. Then the eye slot opened, then nothing more. She looked at the door in the dark, her curiosity was burning: 'what is that?' she wondered. She fumbled for the candle and a match, eventually lighting it. She stood up and walked over to the door, looking through the opened eye slot. She looked around and down the hall, looking for an orderly or a possible nurse that may of...

"Morning!" said Bruce quietly as he sprang up and surprised Alice. She loudly gasped and about dropped the candle.

"_Shhh_!" said Bruce, "You need to be quiet, or the 'help' will come."

"Wha-What are you doing here?!" asked Alice quietly.

"I just wanted to talk to you," he said, "after all, King Richard and the Sherif interrupted us earlier."

"You do realize," said Alice, "that you're _not_ Robin Hood?"

"Oh, I know that," laughed Bruce, "but if they want me to be here, why not act a little mad for them, eh?"

"Well, I don't know about that," said Alice, "but I would still like to know what you are doing here."

"Huh...funny," said Bruce, "I thought I already answered that...I..._came_...to..._see_..._you_." he said, exaggerating the last part and using hand gestures. This offended Alice, she turned around to climb back into bed.

"Wait-wait!" said Bruce, poking his fingers through the eye slot, "I didn't mean to offend, perhaps we should talk later on today like civilized persons, face-to-face."

"Perhaps," said Alice, not turning around, "but leave your smug attitude in your room."

"Perhaps." said Bruce with a smile, then closed the eye slot and went back toward his own cell. Alice sat back on the bed, then put the candle on the night stand.

"Well," she said out loud to herself, "He seems quite the character."

"Yes, but Dr. Howard and Malkin said he wasn't any good," she answered herself, "you'd be wise to listen to them."

"It wouldn't hurt anything to just visit him for a day," she argued with herself, "after that, I can try to find other friends. Isn't that right rabbit?" she asked the toy, who was hanging off the side of the bed.

"Well, I suggest that you should go back to bed," she lectured herself, "and wait for morning to take any action." She nodded in agreement with herself, she blew out the candle and curled back up into the sheets, and had just barely shut her eyes when:

"Uh Alice," asked Paul, "who are you talking too?" Her eyes darted open.

"...No one." she said, very timidly.

"Uh-huh. Well, breakfast will be in about two hours, alright love?"

"Alright, er...go-good...uh...morning, then." she said. Paul continued his walk down the halls, slightly chuckling, while Alice grabbed her rabbit out if embarrassment buried her face into it.

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After eating maybe half of her breakfast and having had her bath (only this time, she took Dr. Wilson's advice and didn't fuss about it), she was taken to the activities room again, this time, she felt slightly more confident than she did the previous day. She looked around at the other teenagers and children around the room, then she saw that none of the orderlies and nurses that she knew was in the room, in fact, there was hardly anyone watching the group. She continued to look around when she felt someone tickle the back of her neck, she turned around and saw Bruce standing there with a big grin.

"I see that you're a tad drier than yesterday." he said to her.

"Yes," she said grabbing some of her hair and stroking it, "I had my bath awhile ago."

"Well," said looking around the room, "found anyone to talk to as of yet?"

"Well..."

"Because you're standing around like a light post, perhaps...," he said looking all over the room this time, "I shall introduce you to my 'merry men'?"

" 'Merry men'?"

"Come," he said smiling and grabbing her hand, "I'll show you." He walked her to the same table that the same group of kids were yesterday. When they reached them, Bruce said loudly and boastfully:

"Hail, Merry Men!"

"Hail, Robin Hood!" they yelled back, causing most of the teens and children to look in their direction.

"Friends, I would like to introduce you to our newest member, Alice...er...what's your sir name, ducky?"

"Liddell, Alice Liddell," she said timidly, "but what do you..."

"Yes, well, there you have it gentlemen," he said, downing out her voice, "Alice Liddell is our newest member."

"Huzza!" said the group.

"That's just it," pleaded Alice, "what do you mean 'newest member'? I don't quite..."

"It's very simple," said Robin wrapping his arm around her shoulders (I'll be calling him Robin from now on), "I looked at you yesterday and I said to my self, I said: 'that girl would be perfect to join us', that I did. And...here you are!"

"But..." pleaded Alice again, "I hardly know..."

"Oh, yes-yes of course," said Robin, stepping right in front of her, "allow me to introduce myself: my name is Robin of Loxley. And these are..."

"But what is your real name?" she asked.

"...my men," he continued without acknowledging her question, "this here," he said slapping a fat boy's shoulders, "is the good Friar Tuck."

"My child." said the boy solemnly, then burst out in hysterical laughter.

"Here are some other comrades of mine, there's..."

"Hail, Robin." said another girl seductively walking up behind Robin then wrapped her arms around his neck and started to peck at his neck.

"Oh...Hail Maid Marian." he chuckled. Both of them started to chuckle and giggle for a moment, but then he remembered what he was doing.

"Maid Marian," he said while she was still kissing his neck, "this is our newest member, Alice." Alice looked at the girl; seeing that the girl was actually very pretty, and the girl stopped long enough to look at her and say:

"Cute." and then she continued her pecking. Alice didn't quite know what to think of this, she never saw any of this type of behavior before in all her life. She started to edge away from the couple when all of a sudden, Robin grabbed her by the waist with one arm and said:

"Come, I shall introduce you to the other peasants!" He then started to drag her around the room, with the small group of 'merry men' and 'Maid Marian' following close behind. Eventually, they came to a older girl, who was almost old enough to be transferred to the adult wing. She was standing with her friends and they were visiting with each other, but when Robin's group approached them, the group fell silent and looked distressed.

"Now this creature," he said while staining aside the girl and showing her off like she was a horse to be sold, "is truly an unfortunate thing. Her mother slept with a toad, you see, and here's the end result. Ain't that right Salientian?" 'Salientian's' real name was Sally, but truthfully, she did resemble a toad. She had a short torso and long gangly legs, large feet and short arms, and had a rather fat neck. Sally looked lamentably at the group, most of them chuckling at her pain. Alice looked around the group and then looked at Sally's face, which was bright red now, and tears were streaming down her face. She tried to choke down the sobs, but as she did so, Robin said:

"Best leave this toad alone, anymore jokes, and she's liable to croak!' The group cackled at the poor joke, then Robin pushed Alice along to the next person. Alice had time to look over her shoulders and see the poor girl cover her face in shame while her friends tried to comfort her.

"Ah, here we have the village idiot." he said waling up to a boy about 14 years old, who had a mild form of mental retardation. "H-e-l-l-o, J-a-c-k," he said loudly and slowly, "H-o-w a-r-e y-o-u?!"

"That's it," said Alice, "I cant stand your demeanor any longer." She then turned around and started to walk away, Robin saw this, he then ran in front of her and said apologetically:

"Hey, I'm sorry. I thought that you were enjoying it with the others."

"Don't apologize to _me_, apologize to _her_." she said pointing to Sally, who in turn looked up at the two. Robin looked at the girl, he then said entreatingly:

"Come now, surely you know I was joking, she knows it as well." Alice glared at him, when he saw this, he stood strait, tilted his head to the right slightly, gave her a pleased smirk, then turned to the girl and said:

"I'm sorry Sally, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Sally was indeed surprised, not only of his apology, but how he actually did what Alice asked him to. She however, wasn't the only girl in the room surprised at that as well, 'Maid Marian' was also surprised.

"Well..." said the girl, "I _would_ rather enjoy some of the toffee bits Dr. Barr keeps in his office. But I do not see him, not anymore. Perhaps," she said, taking advantage of the situation, "you could get me some?" Now, everyone knew that doctors' offices were off-limits to the patients, the only way they could go into one is if one invited them into the room, and even then, were severely watched. Getting into them was near impossible, but Robin smiled at the challenge.

"To rob Prince John," he said wile rubbing his chin with a grin, "when shall you like these tasty treats?" She thought about it for a second.

"By 11 o'clock." The crowd murmured, they knew that Dr. Barr was normally in his office at this time, and 11 o'clock was only 10 minutes away. This only made Robin more excited.

"The challenge has been set, the bargain made, you shall have them by 11 o'clock. Come men," he said looking at his group, "we go on to Prince John's fortress!" The group chattered excitedly, and headed for the door.

"Come Alice," he said grabbing her arm, "I think I've the perfect job for you." They headed toward the door, but by now, the few orderlies and nurses noticed what was going on, they started to approach them.

"Friar Tuck," said Robin, "why don't you preach to the guards?" The boy smiled, then he suddenly started to scream at the top of his lungs. He ran around wildly like a headless chicken, knocking over chairs and tables, pushing over other inmates. This distraction was plenty enough to catch the orderlies and nurses full attention. They ran over to the boy to try to corral the manic boy, but his actions were causing other inmates to also bo berserk. Robin smiled at the wonderful distraction, he then grabbed Alice's hand again and opened the door and the rest of the party left the activities room. Robin looked down all the hall ways, seeing who wan in them, and who wasn't.

"This way." he whispered, the group then quietly trotted down the left hall, when they reached one of the smaller nurses station, he tapped one of the boys on the shoulder. The boy nodded, he positioned himself in a good hiding spot, and became one of the many watchmen that Robin started to fan out. At one point, when it was down just to three of them, Robin stopped the dwindling party and said:

"Ho! 'Tis Little John, guarding the bridge!" He was right, Little John was guarding the doorway to the doctor's hall, he was put there because a female orderly had been trying to escape the asylum through that hallway, and he was put there to prevent her from trying again.

"This shall be a tough one," said Robin stroking his goatee, "if you'll do the honor, my friend." he said bowing to the last boy with them. The boy then ran right up to Little John, pulling out a helping of the peach cobbler from the previous night from his pocket (he had been saving it for later), and threw it at his head. It hit John right in his right eye, he grunted at the blow and wiped the cobbler of his face, looking violently at the boy.

"Bet you can't catch me, old man!" said the boy, heading full kilter down the hall toward the adult wing. John ran after the boy to prevent him from entering the adult wind, and to give him a proper spanking, he was furious at the joke the boy played on him, and was going to teach the boy manners.

"Now ducky!" said Robin, pulling Alice behind him as they entered the Doctor's hallway. He smiled at her, and said:

"Here comes the fun bit!" They headed toward the doctors hallway, and eventually reached it, but Robin and her squatted down, hiding at the corner of the joining halls, waiting.

"Alright ducky," said Robin, "here's the plan. When Prince John comes out of the room, you distract him, while I go into the room and..."

"_M-Me_?!" sputtered Alice, "I-I can't do that! I-I-I..." Robin looked at Alice, seeing the look on her face.

"Blimey, you're afraid of that old baboon?" She looked up at him, and nodded 'yes'. Robin thought about it, then said:

"Right then, I'll distract the old man, while you fetch the sweets. He keeps them in the left upper-drawer in his desk."

"How do you know that?"

"Trust me ducky," he said with a smile, "this isn't the first time I've snuck a toffy bit form that toffy-nosed booger." Just then, Dr. Barr stepped out of his office and was just about to lock the door behind him when Robin stepped out from the hiding spot and exclaimed:

"Why, good day to you, Prince John!"

"What are you doing here," asked Dr. Barr, severely agitated with him already, "you know you're not suppose to be here?"

"Oh, I'd thought that I would take a stroll around my lovely mansion and great all of my servants, tell them what a good job they are doing with the place," he stroked his hand on the wall, causing streaks in the dust stuck to the wall, "especially the maid."

"Look, don't try any funny stuff," said Dr. Barr, well aware of Robin's habits, "I've got too..."

"Ah yes," said Robin, wrapping his arm lovingly around Dr. Barr's neck and leading him down the hall away from Alice and the door, "you have all those poor wretches to help! What a kind, generous man you are, sacrificing you own life for others," he wiped an imaginary tear away from his eye, "truly a noble man if I've ever seen one."

As he was leading Dr. Barr away, Alice thought 'now's my chance', and she got up and trotted to the door and quietly entered the room. She looked around the room, and saw a numerous assortment of very expensive items in the room: Ming Dynasty vases, Japanese jade tea things, French furniture; it was all there, making the room look very lovely. She looked around even more, she saw that he seemed to have a fetish for expensive items, she thought. But there was no more time to look around, she quickly reached the drawer and tried to open it, but it was locked. She started to panic, she looked around and shifted some papers in the process. Underneath one of the papers, however, was the desk key. She scooped it up and unlocked the drawer, and inside the drawer, was a wooden box, with a emblem of a knight, losing the battle to another knight. She opened the box and saw a large bag, she opened the bag and saw wrapped-toffy bits in it. She grabbed the bag and closed the box and drawer. She poked her head out the doorway and saw that Robin was still talking to the irate doctor.

"Look here," said Dr. Barr shoving the teenager away from him, "I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to butter me up to get something from me! Well, it's not working, you're going to have to try something else and even then, I wont give it to you."

"Why Dr. Barr," said Robin putting his hands over his heart, "I'm shocked and heartbroken! All I wanted from you was the pleasure of your company!" He turned slightly to the side and started to 'weep' into his hands, but he was actually seeing if Alice had finished the job, he saw her hair round the corner of the hall. He smiled slightly, he then turned back to the doctor and said, wiping 'tears' away from his eyes and said:

"Well, I do see that you're busy, perhaps we'll talk some more later on this fine..."

"Just go!" pointed Dr. Barr down the hallway.

"You know best," said Robin as he ran down the hall, "farewell, Prince John!" and with that, he too, rounded the corner and both of them headed back toward the activities room, gathering up the boys on their way. (All but one, Little John caught the one boy, and who was put into solitary confinement.) Robin entered the room triumphantly, raising his arms; declaring:

"Good people, We have returned and brought our promised parcel," he looked up at the clock, "with two minutes to spare!" He took the bag from Alice, then marched gracefully up to Sally and handed her the bag of toffy bits. She opened the bag and said:

"Hrm...not bad, not bad at all." She then opened the bag wide and poured them onto a table top, the entire room of inmates rushed to the table to grab as much of the sweets as they could, after of course, Sally retrieved her desired amount. Robin had gathered some of the toffy as well, he then handed his men a piece each. He then handed one to Alice and said to her:

"Well ducky," he said popping a toffy bit into his mouth, "I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

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The following weeks were fun ones for Alice. Her new friend, Robin, showed her all sorts of interesting things to do around the asylum. He showed her who was who, what was what and what to do and not to do. He showed her how to pick locks. 'They should call me 'Robin of locksmith' he would joke with her. Eventually, Alice soon gained an attitude, one that was very unbecoming of her. She was acting more and more like Robin every day. One day, around lunchtime, Paul and Nurse D had brought her the meal, but instead of either kindly rejecting it like she would always do, she had actually picked it up and dumped it right at Paul's feet.

"Why on earth did you do that for?!" asked Paul, wiping off the food from his feet.

"I don't have to explain myself," she said twirling her hair, "all you have to do is clean it up, that's you _job_ after all." Paul looked up at her, shocked at her attitude.

"Excuse me? I won't stand for this." he said to her.

"There's a chair in the corner." she said pointing to it.

"Look here young lady," said Nurse D stepping forward, "is this _anyway_ to talk to anyone?!"

"Hrm...no, it dose seem pretty rude to stand there and yell at people while they're busy." said Alice, playing withe the rabbit, not looking at her. Nurse D was taken back, she looked at Paul and Paul looked at her. Paul stood up, not cleaning up the mess, then both of them left the cell, locking it behind it.

'Huh, Robin was right,' said Alice to herself, 'acting that way made it so I had my way.' She smiled, then laid down on the bed, with her hands behind her head, legs crossed, thinking what she and her friends were going to do today. But that's when Paul returned with Little John, who in turn had a straitjacket in his hands.

"Now," said Little John, looking very furiously, "I heard that you've been acting very badly, and that Dr. Malkin would like to see you. Now, we can just walk you to his office without this jacket, or with it on you. What would you like to do?"

"Hrm...well, I think it would look more fetching on you, if you could fit into it." said Alice. This was a huge mistake, John then stepped forward and said to her:

"Alright, I wont make you ware the jacket, but," here he grabbed her ear and pulled her up and out of bed by the ear, "I will treat you like a child if you're going to behave like one! Now come on!" This of course, hurt Alice, but she needed it. Paul and John walked Alice clear to Dr. Malkin's office, John still holding her ear the entire time, Alice saying the occasional "Ow!" When they reached the office, Paul knocked at the door.

"Come in." said Dr. Malkin. The three entered the room, and John set Alice into a chair by the desk, only then did he let go of her ear. Alice rubbed the battered ear, looking angrily at him. But then looked at Dr. Malkin, who looked at her very gravely.

"Well-Well Alice," he said to her, "It has come to my attention that you are misbehaving very badly as of late, and you're not doing your chores. You never did this before now, why now? Has something happened?"

"Nothing has happened." she said, still rubbing the ear.

"Then why the attitude?" he asked, writing down information.

"Robin told me that 'if you enforce your own desire, then the help would stop forcing you'."

"That explains everything," said Dr. Malkin, looking up to her, "look, didn't I tell you that the boy isn't worth the time? He's no good, he only cares for himself."

"You don't know him," defended Alice, "you hardly speak to him, so how could you possibly understand him? He's treated me with kindness and respect."

"Did he tell you not to do chores?" asked Dr. Malkin.

"Robin said that 'that's what the orderlies are for'." said Alice. 'Seems that he and Nurse M have the same logic about things.' thought Paul. Dr. Malkin sighed, he then stood up and whispered into Paul's ear, Paul then nodded and left the office. Dr. Malkin then reached up and grabbed a box on the top shelf of his bookshelf. He then sat back into his chair.

"Alice," he said, opening the box, "do you know how all this," he said waving his arm around the room, "is paid for? What I mean is: do you know who pays for you to eat and live here?"

"No, I don't." she said, now interested into the conversation.

"Well, most families pay for their loved ones to come here, others have to pay for themselves. But most of them, don't have anyone to pay for them, and because of that, they don't get enough of what they need." Alice looked at him, not getting the point of the conversation.

"But you're lucky," he said, reaching into the box, "when your family died, most of your father's assets were used to pay off previous debts, and the rest was frozen, until you are capable of handling it yourself. But someone who cared for you, has been paying for you all these years, and he has also been giving you your fair-share of the book sales."

"Book sales?" asked Alice.

"Yes," he said reaching into the box and pulling out a book, "book sales." He handed the book to Alice, she looked at the book, it was a red-leather bound book, she opened the book and read:

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" By: Lewis Carroll

"Your friend, Mr. Dogdson, had published your story a number of years ago. He has given you your fair-share of the profits from the book, witch has been placed into an account for you when you are able to leave Rutledges. No one in Rutledges can touch that money. But Mr. Dodgson has also been giving money to help pay for your needs. For all these years, he's been giving the Asylum a steady amount of money to help pay for your stay here." Alice looked at the book, feeling ashamed for her actions. She knew that she really wasn't like that, and now she regretted every word and action that she had done in the previous weeks.

"Don't you feel terrible, don't you feel remorse for what you have done?" asked Dr. Malkin, even though he could clearly see she did. Alice nodded. Dr. Malkin then smiled, then he reached again into the box, and fished for something.

"Now, I think I can motivate you on changing not only your behavior and the lack of interest in doing chores, but to help you learn responsibility." He pulled out a small sack, then pulled out a tuppence from the sack. "I've kept this sack of money for myself for whenever I need some money to pay for food or drink around the asylum. But, if you behave properly, and what I mean by 'properly', is that you have to start acting your age, and do all your chores without any fussing, then I will give you this tuppence at the end of every week. But only if you behave properly, an allowance of money for 'allowance' of behavior, you might say." he said with a smile, but as the pun was only humorous to Jack, John only coughed in response.

"So if I try to be better," said Alice, taking the money from him, "you'll give me this?"

"That's correct."

"But what would I use it for?" she asked.

"Well," said Dr. Malkin, putting his elbows on the desk top and rested his head on the back of his hands, "about every month or so, we take the most well behaved patients to town on an outing. If you can save enough money and act properly, then perhaps you can go with us sometime and then buy yourself something with it." This sounded like an excellent idea to Alice, but then Dr. Malkin took the tuppence from her and put it back into the sack and said:

"Sorry Alice, you behaved very badly today, so you don't get anything for this week. And you were very cruel to poor Paul and Nurse D today, I think that you should help them clean up the mess you caused in your cell, then after that, I think you should mop the hallway instead of John here."

"Why?" asked Alice.

"Don't you remember?" asked Dr. Malkin. Last week, Alice and Robin had played a nasty joke on John. Robin had sneaked into the kitchen and stole a pot full of whipped-cream, then they sneaked up behind John as he was sitting in a chair reading a book, then dumped all of the whipped-cream all over him, then used the pot to cover his head. Then they banged the pot with the mixing spoon that was in it, and ran off before he had time to see who had done the nasty trick. Another inmate, had turned them in only yesterday.

"So John," asked Dr. Malkin, "would you like a little helper today?"

"I would like that very much." said John, smiling at him then gave a sinister sneer at Alice. Alice groaned, not wanting to do that.

"That's what comes from misbehaving," said Dr. Malkin, "next time, we'll enforce stricter methods. John, please take her to see Dr. Howard, if you would, that is of course, after she cleans up her cell and helps you." John nodded with a smile on his face, he then walked over to Alice and tapped her on the shoulders, she stood up and walked toward the door, she looked back at the doctor, who then said:

"If you can't do the time girl, then don't do the crime."

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Scrub the floor in circles, in circles girl." said John as he looked up from his book to check on Alice's progression. She was on her hands and knees, scrubbing at the ground with a stiff-bristle scrubbing-brush.

"I am!" protested Alice.

"No-no, your circles are far to big, scrub in small circles, small circles." said John showing the scrubbing motion he wanted in the air. She looked up at him and huffed as she scrubbed in the smaller circles.

"Better girl, much better," said John looking back at his book, "don't want Nurse M thinking I've been slacking off now, would we?" he chuckled. Alice huffed again.

"Never did much chores at home, did you?" asked John.

"No," huffed Alice, "we had hired help for that." she said sitting up and wiping her forehead.

"Ah well," he chuckled, "now your just going to have to do it yourself, wont you?" Alice looked at him, not really liking to hear that bit of criticism.

"I don't hear any _scrubbing_!" he said without looking up from the book. Alice scoffed and she went back to work, looking down the very-very long hall that she still had to scrub. She groaned, but she just put her focus on the stubborn tile that just wouldn't come clean.

--------------------------------------------------

"So," said Dr. Howard, looking at Alice, "how are you today?"

"I'm tired." she said, looking like it too.

"I can see that," he said with a smile, "Dr. Malkin has told me the offer he's given you, and I think that's a good idea. You need to learn responsibility; proper behavior; work ethics and the value of a pound." he said. But then he said in a graver tone:

"Now, we need to talk about **(1)**Bruce Greyson."

"Who? Oh, you mean Robin." said Alice.

"Yes Bruce," said Dr. Howard, getting up from his desk chair and stitting into the chair next to Alice. "Now Alice," he said, moving the chair so he could sit face-to-face with her, "I know that Robin has been treating you with kindness, but you aren't the first one he's done that too."

"What do you mean?" asked Alice.

"Take his group, for example, one by one, he's swayed them to follow him with the same methods he's been using on you. And eventually, he stopped treating them like his friends, and more like his private servants. Gay was his previous victim.

"Gay?" asked Alice.

" 'Maid Marian', you know her as that."

"Oh...but they seem to like each other very much so." said Alice, thinking all the times she saw them kissing.

"And that's the problem," said Dr. Howard, "Gay has Borderline Personality Disorder, you see, and she is very dependant on him, and..."

"But, wouldn't it help her, if she has him to depend on?" asked Alice.

"Well, it's rather complicated to go into," he said to Alice, "and I'm only warning you of him. Do you know what they do together?"

"Kiss." said Alice.

"And?" asked Dr. Howard.

"...Sometimes they visit each other in the night." said Alice, but she quickly covered her mouth, she wasn't suppose to tell anyone about that! She had seen them sneaking into each other's cells on some nights, and when they found out that she knew, they asked her to secrecy.

"_Do they_?" asked Dr. Howard looking up at her with total surprise. "Well...that explains things..." he mumbled to himself. "Does Bruce ever see any other girls in this fashion?"

"...Yes, he does," said Alice, "almost every girl. But mostly her." Dr. Howard sighed very deeply after hearing this.

"...Has," asked Dr. Howard, sounding concerned, "he ever 'visited' you?"

"Just once, but he never came into my room." Dr. Howard then sighed in relief, slumping into the chair.

"L-Look Alice," he said lovingly placing his hand on her knee, "I know you don't know how thing go in the world right now...in fact, and don't think me brutal, but your ignorant of it. You don't know how adult matters go and you have so far had no intentions of learning about them! Alice, you need to _know_ these thing! You don't even know the difference between friendly behavior, and..."

"What's so wrong with them," asked Alice, "I don't see what so wrong with them visiting one another at night? I'm sure that they're just talking to each other." Dr. Howard sighed while rubbing his temples.

"You truly are stupid, in worldly matters Alice. Look girl," he said kindly, "they are most likely having sexual intercourse with each other. I'm sorry if this sort of talk upsets you, but you need to know. That behavior is highly prohibited here. Especially in their cases."

"Why?" asked Alice.

"Bruce and Gay are brother and sister, Alice" said Ivan flatly. Alice looked at him with total shock. She didn't know that they were brother and sister!

"That's...horrid!" said Alice.

"Yes, I know. But I also have to warn you," said Dr. Howard, "Gay never acted in that way only until Bruce convinced her it was alright. But now she is an old toy to him, and he most likely want's to move onto you. Alice, have you ever had a feeling when you were with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you felt...'flushed' when he was with you?"

"A little." said Alice.

"Do you think it maybe, love?" he asked gravely. She thought about it for a moment.

"Perhaps."

"Well Alice," said Dr. Howard, "you need to know the difference between 'love' and 'infatuation'. Love is when you have a firm foundation of feeling of deep affection for someone, an absolute one. But infatuation is nothing more than a temporary feeling, it soon fades. Bruce has no capability of truly loving anyone other than himself right now. He will try to seduce you, and when he has his fill of you, will toss aside you like an old shoe. Your body is still changing child," he said in the kindest way he could, "and it will give you false emotions for a few more years yet. The point of all this is Alice," said Dr. Howard very warmly, "don't let Bruce do anything to you if you don't feel it right, understand?" Alice nodded in agreement.

"If you need to talk to anyone," said Dr. Howard, "don't be afraid to talk to Dr. Malkin or myself. We only have your best concern at heart, and noting more. We're here to help you, not hurt you." Alice appreciated his concern; she was really connecting with him. She smiled slightly at him, and he smiled back too.

"Is there anything else," he said to her, "that you would like to talk about, anything at all?" Before Alice could say anything, let alone think, she heard something:

"_You know_," said a quiet voice, "_this is the perfect opportunity to tell him about Dr. Barr. You should have thought of that first, rather than me_." Alice looked around to see who said that, but the only other person in the room was John.

"Something wrong, Alice?" asked Dr. Howard.

"Er, no...no nothing," she said shifting her eyes around the room suspiciously, "nothing, but I would like to talk about..." but then someone started to knock on the door.

"Come in." said Dr. Howard.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion," said Dr. Barr, poking his head through the door, "but I need your help with Jonathan, he wont listen to me."

"Ah...yes-yes," said Dr. Howard, adjusting his glasses, "just as soon as I'm done with Alice here."

"But sir, I'm sorry but I must insist," said Dr. Barr hastily, "this is out of my hands." Dr. Howard sighed, taking out his pocket watch and looking at the time.

"Very well," he sighed again, "I'm sorry Alice, but maybe we can talk next time, yes?" Alice looked pitifully at Dr. Howard, and she was just about to open her mouth when Dr. Howard said:

"John, take Alice back to her room. Then later, have Nurse R help Nurse U feed her, would you old boy?" John nodded and then walked up to Alice again and escorted her out of the office. Alice looked over her shoulder as they walked down the hall, seeing Dr. Howard walk away with Dr. Barr.

"I must thank you Dr. Howard," said Dr. Barr, "Jonathan really has been a bother for me."

"Yes well," said Dr. Howard doubtfully, "but he's never been a bother for you before?"

"Yes I know, I don't know what's come over him." said Dr. Barr, 'God, that was close,' he thought to himself, 'I'll have to make sure she doesn't talk.'

--------------------------------------------------------

Alice was brushing her hair wile looking at herself in the vanity mirror, disappointed with herself today. She sighed as she put down the brush, she then rubbed her hands in frustration, then quickly set them in her lap. She looked at herself in the mirror, not liking what she saw.

"_You should have said something_," said the quiet voice, "_I would have if I was you_."

"Who's there," said Alice out loud, looking around in vain for someone who was possibly playing a joke on her, "show your self!" There was no response.

"Answer me!"

"What's wrong ducky," said a new voice, one that was coming from the door, "is something bothering you?" Alice turned around and saw Robin peeking at her through the eye slot. She was slightly relieved, embarrassed, and angry at the same time. She marched over to the door and slammed her hands on the door near the eye piece, looking at him right in his eyes saying very loudly:

"What's your game?!" Robin was taken back.

"I beg your pardon?"

"How on earth can you live with yourself," she asked him very loudly, who in turn had Robin saying while she was talking "_Shush_! Do you _want_ me to be caught?"

"What you do with your sister, it is vile!" she said, not lowering her voice.

"W-What? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that your having intercross with her. (Poor Alice said it wrong, she was so angry with him)"

"Wha-Oh...oh... I see," he said, then he started to laugh, "Ah Alice," he said while laughing, "who told you that load of rubbish?"

"Dr. Howard." she said.

"Oh, _him_? I surely would have guessed Dr. Barr for sure...any who, do you even know what..._intercourse_ is?" he corrected with a smile.

"Well...of course I do." said Alice.

"Why don't you explain it to me," said Robin with a cheeky grin. This upset Alice, she then said:

"Leave me alone!"

"Aw, come on ducky," he said changing the tone of his voice, "I'm just having a bit of fun with you. Come now, surely you don't believe him."

"I can make my own decisions, thank you very much," she said turning her back on him, folding her arms, "I don't need others to make my own."

"You don't have that privilege here girl," Robin chortled with a smile, "no one does."

"_Good night_, Mr. Grayson." she said, without turning around. Robin scoffed with a bit of laughter in it, then shut the eye slot. Alice had kept her composure while he was standing there, but when he left her alone, she broke down. She buried her face into her hands, hopping to feel one tear, but her face was bone dry. She sat on the bed, feeling sorry for herself.

"_It's a sad thing_," said the mystery voice, "_when someone can't weep, even for themselves_."

"Shut up, just shut up and leave me _ALONE_!!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, but in doing so, caused everyone on the cell-row to also start screaming, but they weren't just screaming and wailing, they were screaming: 'Alone'.

* * *

**(1)The character Robin is my nod to one of my favorite televison shows: Batman: TAS, and one of my other favorite characters in the Justice League Unlimited show: Green Arrow. **

**I'm feeling compelled to explain something about Alice, based on Uberscribes observations:**

**Well, you see: I'm a major fan of both stories, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass' and I myself have made my own conclusions about the 'original' character of Alice. **

**Alice is a clever girl, shows kindness to strangers and lower-class persons,(explained in the missing chapter of the 2****nd**** book, unfortunately), full of curiosity, but the other time Alice is...well...a brat. She can be a bit of a showoff, makes personal remarks about people (only to herself, mostly about her class mates), and to a point is spoiled rotten. Remember, the character Alice and the real Alice, grew up in a high-society social class. **

**And, my favorite part of both stories, is: Alice never changes! Most stories, the characters gain some great life-altering experience that makes them all the better, they learn something and grow on it. Or they lose everything in the process. But what's so fascinating about the original story, and one of the best if not, the only example of this, Alice: the main character, learns nothing whatsoever. She's not the better or for the worst, she hasn't learned any great life lesson, she hasn't lost anything, she stays the same. Isn't that neat?!**

**SO...based on the original character, I've been making my Alice the same way. She is truly a good person inside, and a smart one...she is just a dunderhead most of the time, just because she doesn't want to learn anything. She is ignorant in the way of adulthood and general life; this is easily fixed however, but she doesn't want to change...you see? She doesn't want to put forth the effort of change, because in a sense...she's afraid of change. She's never had to 'grow-up' before, and you have to give her some leniency, missing practically your whole childhood would be enough to rattle anyone's cage.**

**Plus, she still has to learn about herself, before she can change it. Not just in body, (unfortunately for her...and the general population of persons going thru puberty, she is still going thru it, but has no real knowledge about it that could help her...you see?), but in the mind and spirit. **

**Only she can put forth the effort and learn anything and finally 'grow-up'.**

**I hope that this answers any un-asked questions about Alice, and her character.**

**Welp, there ya go. I hope that this chapter has kept you interested into the story so far. **

**Reviews are always welcomed...that's including questions, comments, suggestions for the story, etc.**

**...what, oh yeah:Thanks for your time and patients!** **(Man, this is practically turning into my catchphrase, isn't it?)**


	18. I feel nothing

**Chapter 16: "I feel nothing.**"

* * *

Two months had passed since that night, and thing were going fairly well for Alice. Dr. Malkin kept his word; every time Alice behaved properly and acted like a grown-up (or at least made the attempt), he would give her a tuppence. Sometimes, however, she would have the occasional outburst, and so wouldn't receive anything. She took the advice of Dr. Howard and she attempted to sever all ties with Robin, but he remained persistent and finally at least held the position of 'associate'. Dr. Howard took her underneath his wing, and would personally teach her lessons that she wasn't grasping from the asylum's teacher. Dr. Barr and Nurse M, however, did make things difficult for her, but Paul was always there to make a joke about them after they had left. However, one thing was strange for her, the quiet voice hadn't returned since that night, in a way, it was for the best, she thought.

Alice was just waking up, she took a deep breath and stretched her arms out, arching her back. She sat up in bed, wondering what time it was. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, then rubbing the sand from her eyes; then stretched again. She was expecting for someone to come in now and attempt to give her breakfast, but no one came. She stood up and walked to the door, the eye slot was closed so she looked into the key-hole, to see if anyone was out there. The hall was empty, an odd occurrence for the asylum. Even the halls were quiet. She then went to stand up, so she grabbed the handle of the door for stability, but it moved and the door swung open. Now, things were very strange, she stood up and pushed the door wide open. She cautiously stepped into the hall way, with the rabbit in her arms. She looked down both ways, but the halls were totally empty. She slowly walked down the hall in bare feet, quietly assessing the situation. She then thought she could smell something, she looked down at the ground and saw smoke.

Her heart started to race, she followed the smoke with her eyes and saw that it was coming from one of the cells in the hall. She was drawn toward the cell door, frightened of course, but her pesky curiosity bayed her on. She felt the door, it was cool to the touch. She retracted her hand, confused with her muddled senses. She then slowly grabbed the handle and opened the door. She could hardly see the outline figure of her parents, huddled in a corner of their room, and both started screaming:

"Get out of the house Alice!"

"Save yourself Alice!"

Alice gasped, backing away from the door. 'This can't be!' she thought to herself. She turned around to run away, but then she could feel someone grab her arm and held her tightly. She yelped and hollered wile kicking and squirming, trying to break free.

"Wake up Alice! WAKE UP!!!"

Alice woke with a yell, eyes shot open, she was panting and dripping with sweat. She had tried to sit up, but Paul was holding her down with his arms while Dr. Malkin had just finished administering a strong sedative into her arm.

"Are you alright?" asked Nurse D, "you had been screaming and thrashing so...I had tried to wake you, but you started to kick and yell."

"I had a hard time holding you down," said Paul, panting just as hard as she was, "your stronger than you look." Alice went to respond, but the drug was starting to take it's affect.

"Bring in the spare restraining bed," said Dr. Malkin to the present staff, "the one with the stronger straps, then when she's..." but Alice didn't get to hear the rest of what he was saying, she fell asleep due to the drug. After what seemed like hours of sleep, she woke up, now truly groggy. She went to rub her face, but to her not-so-unexpected surprise, her arms; legs and torso was tethered down with large thick leather straps. She did however, try to worm her way free, but it was no use, Paul had made doubly sure that she would not, could not hurt herself in her sleep. She lifted her head, to see if she was still in her cell, she was, to her great relief. She then realized that she didn't know where her rabbit was, she frantically looked to both sides, but then relaxed when she saw it safely by her right arm, near her chest. She sighed and let her head fall to the pillow. She exhaled deeply, not knowing what to really do, this had never happened to her before, so she didn't know what to expect. She heard the cell door open, she looked over at the door, she sees Dr. Malkin and Nurse D walk into the room.

"How are you feeling Alice?" asked Dr. Malkin, pulling up a chair.

"Alright...I suppose." said Alice, her voice betraying the fact that the drug wasn't fully out of her system yet.

"That must have been some nightmare," said Dr. Malkin while writing down the date and time, "care to tell me about it?"

"N-Not...particularly." said Alice.

"Now I know that this nightmare must have been terrible for you," said Dr. Malkin kindly, "you were calling out to your mum and dad."

"I-I was?" asked Alice.

"_You were_." said the quiet voice.

"What?!" said Alice quite loudly.

"I said 'you were'," said Dr. Malkin, writing down information, "are you sure you're alright?" he asked looking up.

"Uh...per-perhaps I just need to wake up a bit more and...get on with my chores." said Alice.

"Hrm...no, I don't think that would be a good idea," said Dr. Malkin, "I think that perhaps you should just stay in here today, and then tomorrow you can..."

"If I may, doctor," piped in Nurse D, "well sir, it's just such a beautiful day out side," she said walking over to the window looking out of it, "and she hasn't been outside for such a long time sir. And besides," she said walking back to him, "considering this day and all." Dr. Malkin looked up at her, then smirked at her.

"Alright, you've convinced me," he said standing up, "but she's your responsibility. I'll go and make the arrangements." He stood up and said to Alice:

"Would you like to go outside, Alice?"

"Oh, I would indeed!" said Alice, sitting up as far as she could sit up.

"Calm down girl," he said, "or we won't be able to let you go out. You have to do exactly as Nurse D says, alright?" Alice nodded, laying back down on the bed. Nurse D and Dr. Malkin then walked out of the cell, but before closing the door, he said one last thing to Alice.

"Nurse D and Q will bring in a wheelchair in a few moments." he then closed the door and locked it behind him. Alice smiled, happy that she was going outside. At first, she did wait patiently, but boredom settled in, and she began to fidget around. She looked down at her wrist straps, and tried to get out of them, just for the entertainment. She suddenly stopped this when Nurse D and Q had entered the room with a wheelchair. They unstrapped her and helped her into the chair. Alice made no sour faces at this (as she usually did), because she really wanted to see the outside, outside of the asylum walls. Eventually, they reached the back door of the asylum and wheeled her out. Alice at first squinted at the light, but then her eyes adjusted to the light and she looked around her excitedly. The 'back yard' of the asylum was rather pleasant actually. There was a small cobble-stone path that ran through and around a small garden, park benches to sit on, and what caught her eye, was the swing on a large tree at the far end of the yard.

"Please, may we go to the swing," asked Alice pointing to the swing, "so I may swing on it?"

"Later child," said Nurse Q kindly, "why not enjoy the garden first?" Alice was slightly disappointed, but was pleased to see the garden. It was a rather nice little garden, with tiny little hedges, not more than knee-high. Bright flowers planted along the pathway, small shrubbery trimmed in a nice arrangement. It appeared they payed the gardener far more than the housekeeping. They wheeled Alice to a park bench, and told her to sit and stay put on the bench. She did as she was told, and Nurse P and Q sat next to her. For a few moments, it was very awkward for all three, just sitting there not moving or talking. Eventually it was to much for Nurse P and she said:

"Nurse Q, why don't we just watch her from...over there by Dr. Smith?"

"That sounds grand." said Nurse Q, happy that she's suggested it. The two nurses left Alice by herself, which she was glad as well. Alice then used the time to hug her rabbit while enjoying the sunny day, looking at the garden, but her eyes did occasionally wander over toward the swing. She then saw David, waddle up to her. **(1)**Now, David was an older man, about 38 years old, but like Alice, had the mentality of a child. Mentally, he was about 12 years old. He was in the Juvenile Ward because of this fact. David wasn't what one would call, 'hansom', he was a short man, only about 4 foot 4 inches. He had graying-wavy-black hair, completely bald on top. He had stubby legs and arms, and was a bit fat, especially around the neck. He liked Alice, not just because she was the only one who wouldn't tease him (out loud, anyway), but their 'situation' was similar.

"Hello Alice," he said when he reached her, "nice day."

"Very." said Alice, not looking at him. David then looked around nervously, trying to think of another topic.

"Uh...I heard you screaming earlier today..." he said to her, but then dropped the topic when she gave him a violent glare.

"Is that yours?" he asked pointing to the stuffed rabbit.

"You know it is," said Alice annoyed with the question, "you ask me that every day."

"Yes...well," he muttered under his breath, "m-may I sit with you?"

"If you like." she said, still not looking at him. He squealed with delight and sat next to her on the bench. He then clasped his hands together and smiled happily, swinging his legs, content of just sitting next to her. He started to hum 'God save the Queen', when he pipped up and said:

"Nice day, isn't it."

"We've covered the subject already." said Alice, still not looking at him. David looked hurt at her remark. He stopped smiling and started to hop off the bench, Alice saw this and felt bad. She really didn't like him, but he did try his best.

"Wait," she said, grabbing him by the shoulder, "don't go. I'm sorry for being rude."

"That's alright!" he said happily and loudly, jumping back onto the bench, "I would be too, if I had..." he remembered _that_ subject was poison, so he said, "well...how's Dr. Malkin? I see Dr. Howard personally. He's nice, Dr. Howard. How do you feel about Dr. Howard?"

"He's fine," said Alice, also glad that he finally picked a real topic, "and I too, am rather fond of Dr. Howard."

"Speaking of him, here he comes now, with Dr. Malkin no less." said David, pointing to the approaching doctors.

"Alice," said Dr. Malkin, "can we have a word with you?"

"Yes..." she said, then taking the advantage of the question, "but if we can go over there." she said pointing to the swing. Dr. Howard smiled at her, he knew she wanted the swing, so he agreed.

"If you'll excuse us David." said Dr. Malkin kindly, then the trio walked over to the swing. David watched them sadly, he then stood up and slowly walked back to his nurse. When they reached the swing, Alice sat in the swing, planing on swinging after they talked to her.

"Alice," said Dr. Howard, "we have something for you." he reached into his white coat and pulled out a brown paper parcel.

"For me," asked Alice, taking the present, "why?"

"Well," said Dr. Malkin, "today is your birthday, after all."

"It is?" she asked.

"Why...yes child, it is." said Dr. Howard. Alice looked at the doctors, thinking at first that they were just joking with her, but when she decided that they weren't, she smiled slightly at them and said her thanks for the gift. She then opened the gift, ripping the paper off of it. When she saw what it was, she smiled. She stood up to look at the blue dress.

"It's beautiful," she said, placing the dress in front of her looking down at it, "it's just like the one I had when I was...well, younger!" She looked down at the other gift that fell out of the dress. "You even have the kind of white pinny that I use to wear!" she said while she picked it up. She held her gifts, extremely happy with them.

"Thank you, ever so much!" she said with a smile.

"Well," said Dr. Malkin, "it's just that we thought that you should have something nice to wear at the up-coming outing at the end of the month." She looked at both of them.

"Truly? I can go?"

"If only you keep up the good work around here," said Dr. Howard, "you can still ruin your chances at that."

"Oh, I will." said Alice, admiring her dress, and forgetting about the swing.

"Splendid," said Dr. Howard, reaching into his pocket for his pipe, "I hope the dress fits," he continued, putting tobacco into the pipe, "we did try to make it a surprise, and the only time we could measure you was when you were asleep," he took a puff from his pipe and said with the smoke coming out of his mouth, "so if it's a bit tight, we can fix it."

"And if it's loose?" she asked them.

"We wont do anything about it," said Dr. Malkin with a smile, "we'd make you grow into it. One way or another." Alice scoffed slightly at that idea, but none the less, she did love her presents.

"So...I'm 17 now?"

"Yes." said Dr. Howard.

"You know then," she said while hugging the cloths and her rabbit, "it would be 10 years to the day...that I first...visited..."

"Wh-why don't we continue this conversation inside Alice?" said Dr. Malkin, "Go to Nurse D, and have her take you inside, and then we'll talk more alright?" Alice nodded and trotted over to Nurse D.

"You were right Dr. Howard," said Jack, "giving her a dress exactly like the one she had as a child opened her up."

"Yes," said Dr. Howard after taking another puff, "and on the 10th anniversary of her trip 'down the rabbit hole' no less." He took another puff, "Try to get as much out of her as you can today, but don't ruin her birthday. Try to keep it casual."

"I will." said Jack and he walked off to get her file. Dr. Howard watched him enter the building, he chuckled to himself, sitting on the swing for himself, quietly watching the other patients and staff enjoying the day.

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"...and is there anything else you would like to comment on it?" asked Dr. Malkin.

"No, I don't think so. However, I would like to stop talking for awhile." said Alice.

"Fair enough," said Dr. Malkin closing the file, "would you like anything else?"

"No thank you doctor," she said politely, "the treats and other things today are plenty enough for me."

"Alright then, I'll have someone come in and give you your medicine."

"For what?" asked Alice, never having to take anything this late at night.

"It's to help you sleep more calmly," said Dr. Malkin, standing up, "we don't want a repeat of earlier. Someone will be here soon. Good-night, Alice." he said after the two nurses stepped out.

"Good-night." After the door closed, Alice reached over to the night stand drawer and took out her dress again. She remembered her old dress, and looking at this new dress brought back some happy memories. She heard the door's locks tumbling so she hurried and put the dress back into the stand and closed the drawer.

"Hello Love, and happy birthday!" said Paul, coming in with a small tray in hand. Followed closely by Nurse P and D.

"Yes, happy birthday indeed," said Nurse P with a bit of song in her voice, walking over to Alice and patting her on the head (which Alice did not like in the least), "oh I hope it's been a good one?"

"Yes it has," said Alice, "would you like to see..."

"Hang on love," said Paul, picking up a bottle with dark sirup-like medicine inside, then poured it into a spoon, "you need to take this, before we can do anything more." Alice looked at the spoon questionably. But she did as she was told to (as she wanted to go on the outing), and took the nasty stuff. It was thick and nasty, and it coated all of her mouth and throat, making everything in her mouth slimy and slightly numb.

"That's a good girl," said Nurse D, "and," she said while revealing something behind her back, "we all pitched in and bought you this." It was a small wrapped box, Alice looked at the three, she smiled and took the box.

"Don't worry about the old buzzard coming in to spoil the fun," said Paul with a smile, "she's on vacation, thank God, and won't be back till next week." Alice unwrapped the box and opened it, she gasped when she saw the new necklace and lifted it up to get a better look at it.

"It's pure silver," said Nurse P, "we all pitched in a bought it for you."

"Yeah, and I picked out the design. It was supposed to be a horseshoe,"said Paul, "but I accidentally picked the **(2)**Omega design by mistake."

"Do you like it?" asked Nurse D.

"I...I don't know what to say." said Alice, this was after all, her first piece of jewelry.

"I would try: 'thank you'." said Paul with a smile. She looked up a the three, and said:

"Thank you."

"You're more than welcome," said Nurse P, "now off to bed with you. Don't want to pick you up when the medicine starts working. Alice nodded, she walked over to her vanity and placed the necklace into the drawer. She then hopped into bed and let Paul blow out the candle.

"Good-night." said Alice.

"Good-night." said the three, and after they had closed the door.

-------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Alice was allowed to go outside again. This time however, she wanted to ware her new clothes.

"Alright," said Dr. Malkin, "but don't ware them everyday, you should only ware them for special occasions."

"I will," said Alice, "but do you think I can dress myself?"

"Well that depends," he said, "have you ever dressed yourself, _by_ yourself before?"

"Well...no, I haven't," she had to admit, "but I need to learn how to."

"Well, I'll have Nurse P here stay to help you if you need it." Alice was confident that she could do it, and she did do it fairly well...up to the point that she needed extreme help from Nurse P. She had somehow tangled herself in the under-layers of the dress. Nurse P was more than happy to help her, and to help point out what she had done wrong. After that was taken care of, Alice stood in front of the mirror. She liked how the dress fit on her perfectly. But one thing still bothered her, she realized that she didn't have shoes to wear with the dress. The only thing similar to shoes she had was some old slippers.

"My, don't you look pretty?" said Nurse P while she moved her hair to put on her necklace.

"Thank you, but I don't have proper shoes for this dress" said Alice looking down at her feet.

"Well, you can buy some when you go on the outing," said Nurse P, "the first stop on it is in town."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm sure that if you ask nicely, they'll let you purchase some shoes. There, all set. Would you like to go out now?"

"Yes, please." she said, and after wheeling her outside and letting her sit on the swing this time, Alice started to enjoy the sunlight. The sun made her skin feel warm and tingly. Alice gently rocked the swing back and forth, she did plan on swinging later, but for now, a bird had caught her attention.

"That's a nice dress," said David, walking up to her, "I didn't know it was your birthday, yesterday that is."

"Thank you," said Alice, running her hand down her dress to flatten a wrinkle in the fabric, "Dr. Howard and Dr. Malkin gave it to me, with the pinny."

"And such a pretty necklace you have as well," said Robin as he approached the two, "it must have cost someone a pretty penny."

"Nurse D; Nurse P and Paul gave this to me." said Alice, clenching the necklace in her hand.

"Ah, you are the nurses and orderlies favorite, and their best, now aren't you," said Robin with a smile, "I wish that they would give me things like that."

"You steal what you want," said David, attempting to defend Alice, "she's earned their trust, you haven't."

"Don't you have some nurses skirt to hide behind somewhere around here?" asked Robin, looking down at him. David tired not to run off, he did try to stay for Alice, but Alice said to him:

"I think it would be better if you did go back inside for a moment, David." David looked at her, almost shocked, but he obeyed and walked over to his nurse and she took him back inside.

"You don't have to be such a pig," said Alice, while Robin headed over to the other side of the tree, "he was just..."

"Oh, lighten up ducky," said Robin, "he's just a Jack-a-Lent. Here...a birthday present for you." He took her hand and placed a milk-chocolate truffle in her hand. She looked at it.

"Where did you get this?"

"From this." he said, producing Dr. Howard's sweet box from behind the tree, then taking a truffle for himself.

"That's Dr. Howard's box," said Alice looking at ha half-empty box, "you stole it from him, didn't you?"

"Well, he wasn't very likely to use it in the near future." said Robin, taking another truffle.

"You're such a child." scoffed Alice, turning away from him.

"Oh, I'm the child?!" said Robin with a smile; throwing the box away, scattering the sweets everywhere, "Let me see..." he said, wile looking her over. "This dress," he said, picking up the edge of it, "is what most children wear. Not very appropriate for a girl your age. And this," he said while snatching the rabbit right out of her hands, "only babies carry around dolls."

"Give him back!" shouted Alice, standing up; trying in vain to grab the rabbit while Robin held it up high over her head.

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Dr. Barr, was supposed to be watching another of his patients, but had fallen asleep in the warm sunlight. He woke with a start when he heard Alice shouting, he looked over at the two and grumbled that he had to break up the fight.

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"Come on, you can reach it," said Robin jokingly, "if you want it bad enough, just take it."

"I said, 'give him back'!" said Alice louder and more agitated.

"Come on, you can..." but he paused, he squeezed the bunny harder, "hello, what's this?" he said, turning around so Alice couldn't still reach the rabbit, and he began to look the rabbit over, he eventually found the hole in the back of the rabbit and took out the key. "Hello-Hello," he said with a huge grin, "what's this too? Here you go." he tossed the rabbit back to Alice, but kept the key.

"Give it back!" said Alice.

"I did." said Robin, looking at the key and moved it quickly before she could snatch it back.

"I mean that," she pointed to the key, "give it back!"

"What? Give what back? There are a lot of 'it's' in the world, after all." By now, Dr. Barr was two trees away from them, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Alice say:

"Give me back my key!"

"Key?!" he quietly mumbled to himself, then hid behind a large tree.

"A key to what?" said Robin, holding it up high over his head, "I'll give it back when you tell me." Alice bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to break her promise.

"Well, as it isn't very important," said Robin, "I'll just toss it in the river and..."

"To a safe!" cried out Alice, not wanting to loose the key, "It goes to a safe!"

"A safe," said Dr. Barr under his breath, "there was a second safe?!"

"A safe you say..." said Robin with a grin, "and where would..."

"That's enough!" said Dr. Howard, who somehow sneaked up by the two and snatched the key right out of Robins hands; making the teenagers jump, along with Dr. Barr. Dr. Malkin had come along with him to help break up the fight.

"Blimey! You scared me!" said Robin, who was actually scared for the first time in a long time.

"You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves," said Dr. Howard, "especially you Robin."

"I was just having a bit of fun with her." said Robin.

"You're all ways having 'a bit of fun' with everyone," said Dr. Malkin, "and you shouldn't act so childish Alice." he said to her.

"Told you." said Robin to her.

"Enough!" said Dr. Howard, "I've just had about enough of this. I'll be seeing you in my office later today, Bruce. Dr. Malkin will see you," he said to Alice, "at the same time to talk to you as well."

"Uh, Dr. Howard," said Dr. Malkin in Dr. Howard's ear, "maybe you should talk to her. She seems more relaxed and open to you. She would probably listen to you better than me."

"Alright," said Dr. Howard out loud, "Alice, you'll see me instead of Dr. Malkin. You two are in big trouble, especially you." he said pointing to Robin. Dr. Barr by this time, had decided to approach the group, and asked:

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No," said Dr. Howard, "I'll take these two back to their nurses." Dr. Barr watched Dr. Howard grabbed both of the squabbling teens by the arms and dragged them back to their nurses. Dr. Barr then said to Dr. Malkin:

"I couldn't help but hear that you turned down the perfect opportunity to bond with your patient."

"Get stuffed." said Dr. Malkin, trying to walk away.

"I didn't mean contempt," said Dr. Barr truthfully, "I'm just giving out a bit of advice. You need to build up a relationship with your patients, rather than toss them to Dr. Howard when things get difficult for you. That's why he's so successful with his patients. You need to do the same." with that bid of advise, Dr. Barr walked back over to the bench and sat back down, contemplating.

"There wasn't a key hole in the safe in the study," mumbled Dr. Barr, "there had to be a second safe in the house. The question is: 'where'. Luckily for me, I have the answer right over there." he said wile he watched Alice wheeled into the building.

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Dr. Howard looked at Robin, as he casually walked into the room. He sat down without being asked to, he put his feet on Dr. Howard's desk, leaned back into the chair and put his hands behind his head.

"Well, what would you like to talk about Ivan old boy?" said Robin with a cheeky grin and attitude.

"Take you feet of my desk." said Dr. Howard. Robin smiled and did as he was asked.

"I would offer you a treat of some sort," said Dr. Howard, "but it appears that _someone_ had taken them." he said with thick emphasis.

"Yeah," said Robin casually, "you need to think about better security." Dr. Howard sighed and shook his head. He opened Robin's file and read the past entries in it. As he was reading quietly, Robin finally said:

"Well, this is quite the talk we're having. I'll be horse for a week."

"Quiet." said Dr. Howard. Robin scoffed, but continued to smile at the doctor. Eventually, Dr. Howard set down the file and closed it. He then clasped his hands and put his arms on his desk, while Robin mimicked him and did the same thing.

"Bruce, why do you steal?"

"Why you know," said Robin, "I have kleptomania. I just can't help it."

"Are you sure?"

"You were the one who diagnosed me with it, sir."

"Well," said Bruce, "I'm beginning to doubt that. I think that it's all just a front, so you can just have your way."

"You're right," said Robin, "it's all just a sham, I'm pulling the wool over your eyes, so I can have my way." Robin's grin widened.

"Yes, it's all about you," said Dr. Howard, "you are, of course, far more important than everyone else."

"You hit the nail on the head, you did sir!" said Robin more mockingly.

"Let's talk about your mother." said Dr. Howard suddenly.

"What about her?" said Robin, tilting his head slightly.

"Well, let's take a look back," he said opening the file again and pulling out a photograph of his mother, "is this your mother?" Robin quickly looked at the picture, then tossed it back to Ivan.

"Yes."

"I don't see a photograph of you father here," said Dr. Howard looking through the pages, "does he have one?"

"...I've never met my dad." said Robin, losing his sense of humor.

"Ah, that's right, it says so right here," said Ivan pointing to a paragraph, "you don't know who your father is because..."

"I would like to back to my cell now." said Robin, who had lost his sense of humor for the meeting.

"Not until the session is over. Now, it says here that you don't know who your father is, is because your mother never married, did she?"

Robin said nothing, grinding his teeth.

"Your mother was a prostitute, wasn't she? You and your sister have different fathers, don't you?"

Again, Robin said nothing, determined not to loose his temper, but was struggling to do so.

"Bruce," said Dr. Howard kindly, "is that why you treat women like they were items, rather than people? Is it because your mother's occupation?"

Again, no answer.

**(3)**"Your mother was murdered on the streets, wasn't she?" he said pulling out a newspaper clipping.

"Yes." said Robin quietly.

"Gay saw this, didn't she?"

"She wanted to see where mum when at night," said Robin, who had lost the confidant attitude, "she saw the back of Jack, but not his face. After that, I told her what mum did for a living."

"Did you know, what she did prior to the attack?"

"I don't want to talk anymore, I'm sorry I took your box," said Robin with true tears in his eyes, "and I'm sorry I teased her. I just want to go back to my room." Dr. Howard felt he had gone to far, so he did what he felt best and ended the conversation. He motioned the orderlies to take Robin back to his cell. Dr. Howard wrote down the new information, this was the first time that Bruce talked about his mother. After the orderlies took Robin back to his cell, and after he sadly sat on his bed for a few moments, he decided to see someone. He took out his hidden set of lock-picking tools that he had hidden in some loose wallpaper (his room was one of the few cell that had it), and he picked the lock until it opened. He carefully walked down the halls until he reached his sisters cell. He picked that lock open as well, and entered the cell, closing the door behind him.

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A few hours later, Alice was in her own cell, waiting to go to Dr. Howard's office. She was quietly looking at her necklace when she heard Robin's knock on the door. She groaned, and headed to the door.

"I don't want to talk to you." she said to him after he opened the eye slot.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said, "I truly am."

"No. I'm not falling for it," said Alice, "you'll just keep saying that until I finally forgive you and then you'll just turn around and do something else. I wont play your game."

"Honestly! I am trying to make things up to you." he said pleadingly.

"I've heard that before." said Alice, then sat back on her bed. After a few moments of silence, Robin finally said:

"Look, I know I can be a bit of a bother, and I should try better to not be so, but I am truly sorry. I'm sorry for all the times I teased you and other things; I hope we can perhaps, start anew?" Alice thought for a moment.

"Perhaps." she said finally.

"Perhaps." said Robin, and he closed the eye slot.

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"Well Alice," said Dr. Howard, "you and Bruce had a little argument earlier today."

"Yes, sir." said Alice timidly.

"What were you fighting about?"

"You saw, he took my rabbit."

"Is that the only thing that happened?"

"No, he made fun of my dress, and David earlier before he took him."

" 'Him'?" asked Dr. Howard looking up. Alice lifted up the rabbit.

"Ah him," he said with a smile, "how did he tease you?"

"He said I was acting childish."

"How?"

"He said it was because the way I dress, and...what I have."

"Basically, the way you act?" Alice didn't appreciate that very much, so she remained quiet.

"You know, he's right, in some aspects." said Dr. Howard. Alice didn't like that he was agreed with Robin, so she huffed and turned slightly away from him.

"And you're showing me that now," he observed out loud, "look, I know that you missed a lot of years that you could have learned all this, but you need to make the effort now, or you'll always be teased like this." Alice looked at him.

"I would?"

"Yes, if you thought that any teasing here is bad, then the 'outside' is much worse. You need to start acting your age, I can't stress that enough." Alice was starting to feel bad about her actions.

"I'll try harder, but it is hard." she said.

"And that's all we ask for." he said while he looked up at the grandfather clock in his office, "I think that's all for now, it's time for bed." The orderlies then took Alice back to her cell, and after taking her medicine and tucking herself in, she blew out the candle and went to sleep.

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Alice was half-asleep when she could feel something drip on her face, she wiped whatever-it-was off her face and fell asleep again. But the whatever-it-was dripped again on her, she wiped it off again, but this time she was more awake to tell that this wasn't water dripping on her, it was slightly warm and sticky. She looked up and saw someone standing over her. She sat up quickly, at first thinking whoever it was, was going to hurt her, but as she looked at the dark figure, she slowly realized that they weren't, at least not yet. Alice quickly fumbled around for the match box, but to her surprise, the intruder lit a match and lit the candle for her. Alice looked at the intruder to find out it was Gay, but much...much different.

Gay was covered in blood. Alice looked her over, her white asylum clothes were drenched in blood, some patched had already dried into reddish-brown spots. In her hand was a large, long broken piece of mirror, covered in blood as well. Her hair was matted and messy, it too was covered here and there in blood, that's what dripped onto Alice. Alice didn't know exactly what to do (who would?), she didn't know whether to call out for help, or remain quiet.

Gay walked over to the vanity and picked up the necklace, looking at it.

"Your friends gave this to you?" she asked Alice with a lackadaisical voice.

"Yes." said Alice.

"It's beautiful." said Gay putting it back down on the vanity, she then walked over to the bed and sat on it. Alice didn't know what to say, if she should say anything at all for that matter. Gay sat there on the bed, not looking at her or letting go of the glass, even though it was cutting her own flesh. After what seemed like hours, Gay finally said:

"You know what happened today?"

Alice shook her head 'no'.

"Today, a few hours ago," she said while writing her name in the blood on the broken mirror, "Rob...I mean, Bruce came into my cell. I was excited that he had come in, I hadn't seen him for days. We sat down and just talked for a long time, and it was a nice discussion." Then she fell silent for a few more minutes. Alice was confused, this girl, all she's ever said to her was 'cute', she had no idea why she would talk to her now. After a long pause, she started to talk again.

"Then the talk went wrong. He...told me things, Dr. Howard had brought up our mother. Has he ever told you about our mother? She was a prostitute, you know," Alice had no idea what a prostitute was, but now wasn't the time to ask she thought, "and we have different fathers. I saw my mother killed, but...Bruce had the worst of it. She would bring him along with her, and when they would come back, his eyes were empty." She fell silent again. Alice was wondering why she was telling her all this, she didn't even understand most of this.

"I've never told him this, but I knew my father, and I knew she was a prostitute before he did. My mother loved my father, and when he had died, she was devastated. Even though they weren't married, she considered that they were. But Bruce came along because of her...lively hood. She never truly loved him, so she didn't care for him. She took him along for the pedophiles, you see. They would pay more than her...'regular group'." She turned to face Alice, her eyes were foggy and dead.

"I always tried to look out for my brother, and after mum died, he died as well. The brother I knew died as well. He changed, I thought that when she died, things would get better for us, but they got worse. We stole to keep ourselves alive, and eventually wound up here, in retrospect, it was probably what saved us. Bruce always felt insecure when mum was in control, but to help him, I let him lead 'the family' for two days, and he became hooked on control. If he wasn't in control, he would...melt, is the best way I can put it. I suppose everyone knew about by brother and me?" she asked Alice. Alice didn't know what she was asking so she remained quiet.

"I know it was wrong, on so many levels...but...I would do it again, since it helped my brother . That's what I told Dr. Howard when he first found out about us, he caught us in the middle of it actually," she laughed slightly, "that's when he tried to separate us. But Bruce wouldn't have that. He formed the 'merry men' to help us just to see each other, that's when he started calling me 'Maid Marian'. Everything was going along just fine, and that's when he started to get more power hungry as he started to control the asylum. I even knew most of the girls he would 'visit' in the night, but it never bothered me. And that's when you came along." she looked again at Alice.

"You were here before us, always in a corner of a room or just in your cell, staring into nothing. You were so fascinating for him, and when he saw you moving on your own that day," she smiled; life coming back into her eyes, "he looked like he did before he'd changed. That's why I was actually happy that you had joined us, your presence brought back my dead brother." She fell silent again, just breathing for a few moments. She looked over at the night stand and picked up Alice's music box.

"You are the staffs favorite, you know," she said while stroking the top of the box, "every staff member brings you up in conversations at least once a day. I don't know why, nor do you, by the way you're looking at me, but you are." She opened the box and let the slow music play, when the box ran down, she closed the lid again and put it back on the night stand.

"I beg your pardon," said Gay, "I ran off on the original subject. Bruce came into my room," she started again, "and told me that...he didn't need me anymore, that he had you." Gay looked at Alice again, who was now frightened.

"I didn't understand, I asked him 'what makes her more important than me'? And he said: 'She reminds me of mum'. I think that what he had meant," she said looking at the broken mirror, seeing herself in the letters written on it, "he felt like he was playing 'mum' and you playing 'him'...I don't know." stood up, she then took a letter out of her pocket and handed it to Alice. She then walked back to the door and went to leave, but she stopped and looked at the door saying really to no one:

"I'm glad that she brought back Bruce, she is a nice girl, and doesn't deserve this." She then turned to look at Alice and said:

"Thank you." and she walked out of the cell. Alice had no idea what Gay had handed to her, she started to open the folded letter when she heard something thump to the ground and open the cell door slightly. Alice had just stood up when she heard a male voice call out:

"Oh, god! Someone get a doctor, now!" She walked over to the door, but another orderly had closed the door and locked it. She looked thought the key hole, but she then felt something warm on her right hand, witch was on the ground steading her. She looked down and saw blood seeping its way into her room. Alice gasped and backed off from the door, she looked at her hand. Just then, Dr. Wilson, the doctor on the night shift, opened the door and walked into her cell.

"What happened?" he asked her sternly, after he saw the blood on her hand.

"I...I did nothing. She handed me this and then walked out." Dr. Wilson too the letter and opened it and read it quickly, as he did, his face became pale.

"Nurse," he called out, "get several stretchers, she isn't the only one dead."

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Before they did anything though, Dr. Wilson gave Alice a strong sedative, to make sure she would sleep during everything. The next day, Dr. Howard came into Alice's room to hear what Gay had spoken to her. After telling him everything she remembered, Dr. Howard inhaled and exhaled in defeat.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear all that," said Dr. Howard, "but she obviously under so much pressure." He stood up to leave the room, but turned to her and asked, "Do you need anything, Alice?" Alice thought about it.

"One thing," said Alice, "last night, Dr. Wilson said that 'she isn't the only one dead', what did he mean by that?" Dr. Howard rubbed the back of his neck, deciding whether to tell her now or wait. He then put his hands down and said to her:

"Gay had killed all of the 'merry men' and 'girl friends' of Bruce's, then she killed Bruce himself. In her note, she had said that she had killed you too, but...she must have changed her mind at the last moment." Alice looked at him at confusion, not knowing what to say or think.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" he asked again.

"Perhaps...I would like to go outside, for a moment." said Alice. Dr. Howard nodded and soon enough, Alice was outside, sitting on the swing, but not swinging. David, who had been looking at her with concern and curiosity from a distance, finally decided to approach her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her quietly. She looked at him, and realized now that he truly was her only patient friend now, someone that knew what life was like living in the asylum.

"I'm not sure." she said.

"What do you mean?"

"When my family was gone, I felt...ill on the inside, like I didn't know what to expect next, I felt naked to the elements without a shelter. But, now they're gone," she said tilting her head slightly, "and I feel nothing. I'm have no emotion toward it, like it hasn't happened. I feel numb, and I don't know why."

* * *

**(1) I would be lying if I said that Danny DeVito didn't inspire this character. So...Danny DeVito inspired this character. But David would look more like if Danny really let himself go.**

**(2)The Omega symbol, hopefully you can see it, ( Ω ) is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. It is the upper-case of the letter, the lower-case looks like a lower-case W. The Omega is often used to denote the last, the end, or the ultimate limit of a set. It's also interesting to point out, that the first letter of the Greek alphabet, the Alpha, is a capital A...and Alice's name starts with an A, obviously. Is there some hidden meaning for this, I don't know, you would have to ask the character designer that created the visual aspect of Alice why he picked the symbol.**

**(3)'Jack the Ripper' as I'm sure you all know of, was a man who would kill and mutilate prostitutes during the last months of 1888, from August to November, that they know of. In my story, this is him, but he hasn't been dubbed the name as of yet, and the crime is never connected to him.**

**You know the drill! Thanks again!**


	19. An Outing to London

**Hey! Sorry for the delay in the story...I'm getting ready for a surgery that I need, and that sort of takes my top priority spot on my 'to do' list. (Plus, I hit a 'brick wall' of writers block...couldn't put the story on paper, you see.) **

**I see I have another interested reader...I see you ****The Artist Formally Known as Ev****, you can't hide from me! I have total control over my...er...story page! Mwah-ha-ha! I hope that you are liking the story so far, and I hope to keep your interest in it as long as I can.**

**Before I start this chapter, I would like to note that I do not support any form of animal cruelty. It's sick and wrong! However, this occurs in this chapter, so be forewarned.**

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**Chapter 17: An Outing to London**

Needless to say, things were depressing for several days at the asylum. Again, the asylum was under fire because of the 'lack of security and staff' of the hospital. The chief of police was breathing down hard on Dr. Howard's neck this time. Several days after the incident, Dr. Howard was headed toward the staff lunchroom; after preparing a tray, he sat down next to Dr. Wilson and a few other doctors and started to eat lunch.

"So, Dr. Wilson," asked Dr. Howard, "how's that American girl of yours in the juvenile ward?"

"Please," said Dr. Wilson with a faint smile, "not while I eat. She's such a handful."

"Any progress on her?" asked another doctor. Dr. Wilson gave him a look, not wanting to talk about the girl anymore. The doctor took note of it and quickly took a bite of his food. Just then, Dr. Malkin walked up to the table with a trey of his own.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked politely.

"Not at all, old boy." said Dr. Howard. Dr. Malkin sat down next to Dr. Howard and started to cut up his steak.

"Dr. Malkin," said Ivan, "there's something that I need you to do for me."

"Yes?"

"I need you to go on this months outing for the juveniles. I can't attend this one because of over-booking on my part." Dr. Malkin stopped chewing and gave Ivan a look, he really didn't want to go, but under social pressure and all that, he swallowed his food and said:

"Of course I will, doctor."

"Ah thank you Jack," said Dr. Howard, "that takes a bit off my mind." Dr. Malkin grumbled under his breath, and continued his meal. A few hours later, Dr. Malkin was having a session with Alice in her cell, asking her a series of questions.

"So tell me," he said while writing down the question, "on the day that you and your sister went to the riverside, did you feel alright when you first left?"

"Yes."

"You didn't hurt your head in anyway before or after your 'trip'?"

"No, I didn't," said Alice, getting annoyed with the repetitive questions, "I hadn't done nothing of the like." Dr. Malkin finished writing down the notes in the file, and he then closed it.

"That will be all for today Alice, but," he said wile pulling out some paper and a pencil and handing it to her, "I want you to draw me something from Wonderland. Anything at all." Alice took the gift and looked down at it questionably.

"I'm not the best at drawing." she said.

"Well, that's alright," he said with a smile, "just do your best. I hope you are exited for the outing tomorrow?"

"It's tomorrow?" asked Alice.

"It is, and I hope that you will enjoy it," he said while standing up, "now it's time for you to draw me something, right now, I have to ask Dr. Howard a question."

"Is Dr. Howard going on the outing?" asked Alice.

"Uh, no he isn't. He hasn't the time."

"Oh." said Alice, not covering up her disappointment. Dr. Malkin saw and clearly heard her disappointment, he thought about it for a moment and suggested:

"How about you go outside and draw out there? Would you like that?" Alice perked right up and said happily:

"I would like that very much!"

"Good, then Nurse B can take you out then. If you'll all excuse me." He then walked out the door and headed toward Dr. Howard's office. Half way there, he heard the scratchy, high-pitched cawing of Nurse M, barking his name.

"Dr. Malkin, Dr. Malkin come here."

'Oh, lord...what now?' he thought miserably. He turned around and before he could even blink, Nurse M had snatched the file from right out of his hands and waved it in front of him.

"You know that you can't take this file now," she said sternly, "it has to stay with the nurses station until the girl comes back inside."

"I'm sorry," he said without thinking, "I didn't know."

"Well, you should have!" she said, with Dr. Malkin regretting that he opened his mouth, "How long have you been here? Honestly, some days I can not believe that you can do anything without someone holding your hand."

"I beg your pardon?!" he asked, offended by the remark.

"Very well," she said, not listening to what he had meant, "I'll forgive you this time, but do it again, and heads will roll." She then marched off, back to the nurses station.

"Good lord, how on earth does she keep her job? Probably threatens Dr. Howard every day." he said to himself as he continued his way back to Dr. Howard's office. When he reached it, he knocked three times and heard:

"Come in...ah, fiddlesticks! Er...Come in." Jack opened the door slowly and peaked his head in.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Oh, I just accidentally smashed my favorite pipe." He showed the broken pipe to Dr. Malkin, when Jack knocked on the door, Ivan was closing his top left-drawer and the pipe had started to fall into the drawer at the same time.

"I'm sorry."

"Ah, that's quite alright," he said putting the pipe into the drawer, "I'll try to mend it. What is it that you need?"

"Well sir," he said, annoyed that Nurse M had taken his notes, "I had some questions about the Liddell girl."

"About what?"

"Well sir, she doesn't seem to be...well...associating with me. Every time we start talking about something that would help her, she would rather tell you, and not me. And I don't see why that is, sir."

"Well, that's very simple," said Dr. Howard, "you haven't shown her any real reason to trust you."

"What do you mean? I've tried my best."

"I know that, but giving her presents and letting have her way isn't the way to go my boy. You need to show her that you can be a parental figure and not just a friend." Dr. Malkin nodded in agreement, not knowing how to do that.

"Is that all?" asked Dr. Howard, standing up from his desk.

"Yes, that's all I needed to know." said Jack sadly.

"Cheer up," said Dr. Howard slapping Jack's arm, "soon she will learn to trust you too." Dr. Howard opened his door and held it open for Dr. Malkin, then closed the door and walked down the hall. Paul was sweeping the floors when Dr. Howard passed him.

"Where are you off to?" he asked him.

"To a meeting." said Dr. Howard. Paul laughed out loud.

"You're always going to either meetings or appointments, I swear, you are only just saying that so you can get away from people."

"Only half of the time I do." said Dr. Howard with a smile. Paul smiled back and continued his sweeping.

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Alice was outside, tapping the pencil on the paper, trying to think of something to draw. She started to just draw a small circle in the upper corner of the paper, not knowing what to draw. She had liked to draw, but now that it was an assignment, well...it lost it's appeal. She continued to tap the pencil when David walked up to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Drawing." He looked at the paper, seeing only a small circle in the corner of the paper.

"Is that the sun?" he asked her.

"No...it's just a squiggle."

"Oh...well, what are you drawing?" She looked at him, and saw his innocent look. She sighed and said:

"I'm suppose to draw something from Wonderland, but I can't think of anything."

"How about...er...uh...hmm," said David, thinking hard to say something right, "_a animal_."

"An animal, that would be perfect," said Alice, "thank you David."

"But...I didn't say anything." he said.

"But I thought you said..." but she paused, so did David, they could hear something. The stood up and walked over to the sound. Eventually, they came to a spot by a tree where the sound originated. They saw a animal laying on the ground, it was a cat, and it was dead.

"Poor thing!" said Alice, "I do wonder what happened to it?"

"Looks like someone strangled it," said David looking at the neck of the cat, "I bet it was Sam. He's always chocking things, be it a doll or now living things."

"Oh, no! Look David," pointed Alice to the side of the dead cat, "it had kittens." True, the mother cat had kittens, but they too had been choked to death as well.

"Oh poor, poor things!" said Alice, "they were only a few weeks old at the most." Alice and David looked sadly at the dead things, when they head a small cry. They looked over in the tall grass and pulled it back and saw it. One small black kitten, the runt of the litter, had managed to hide itself from the strangler. The kitty looked up at the two with it's wide open blue eyes and started to hiss. It was clearly frightened, it was shaking with fear.

"Oh, you poor little thing," said Alice, picking it up and stroking it gently, "left all alone, with out a family. There, there little kitty." The kitten was still scared and continued to hiss at the two, but it was really a helpless little thing.

"Can I pet it?" asked David. Alice reached out the kitty and David gently petted it's little head.

"What is going on here?!" barked out Nurse M. Alice and David turned with a start, revealing the dead cats. Nurse M saw the dead cats and gasped slightly, then looked at the two with extreme cynicism.

"I see," she said looking at the two, "throttling cats now, are we? I knew that you would eventually do something of this sort, Alice," she said looking at the kitty in her hands, "your kind always do. It's always the quiet ones, always acting so perfect and calm."

"But Nurse," pleaded David, "the cats were dead when we found them!"

"You're a terrible liar," she said turning her nose to him, "besides, I've caught you two out of bounds. You are both in deep trouble."

"What's going on here?" asked Dr. Barr with Dr. Howard behind him.

"I've caught these two killing cats." she said pointing to the bodies. Dr. Barr and Dr. Howard looked at the dead cats. Dr. Howard bent down to examine the cats while Dr. Barr approached Alice and said:

"Well, it appears your showing your true character girl. I'll just take," he said while snatching the cat from her hands, "this away from you so you wont kill it. Though it will surely die without it's mother. Nurse, fetch the orderlies and tell them to bring two straitjackets."

"Hold off," said Dr. Howard, "I don't think that they killed the cats. Look at the neck of this mother cat," he pointed to the crushed neck, "it would take someone with large hands to make the neck stretch out that far." He walked up to Alice and David and looked at their hands.

"These two don't have the right size of hands for the job, I don't think they did anything."

"But doctor," said Nurse M, "I found them right next to the bodies."

"Yes," said Dr. Barr, "if you didn't kill them," he said turning to the two, "then what were you two doing here?"

"We heard something in the grass and went to see what it was." said Alice.

"Probably this fellow," said Dr. Howard, gently picking it up from Dr. Barr's hands, "looking for his family."

"Well, that doesn't prove anything." said Nurse M.

"Or disprove anything," said Dr. Howard, "look, what's been done has been done, and we'll find out who did it, in the mean time, I'll take this little fellow with me and we'll find you some cream." he said while petting the kitty.

"And what of these two?" asked Dr. Barr.

"Oh, I think it's time for them to go back to their cells now, isn't it?" said Dr. Howard not turning around, still petting the kitty. Nurse M sighed in frustration, then marched off to find out who had really strangled the cats. Dr. Barr just looked over his shoulder at the two, he then said coldly:

"Get going then." he then walked back over to his own patients. David and Alice thought it best not to anger the staff anymore that day, so without saying 'good night' to each other, they ran back to their nurses and went back inside.

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That night, as Alice was settling down for sleep with Dr. Malkin and another nurse helping her prepare for sleep. The nurse was finishing making her bed and Dr. Malkin was talking to Alice while she brushed her hair.

"Where are we going to tomorrow?" asked Alice, looking at the man through the mirror's reflection.

"To town first," he said while looking at his watch, "we'll shop and look around there,, then we'll have a picnic lunch near the river. Then we'll come home."

"How will we get there?" she asked, trying to drag out the conversation so she didn't have to go to bed right then.

"By coach, we'll hire several coaches to take us around town, it would be several hours walk otherwise."

"Are you going?"

"Yes I am, along with Dr. Barr," Alice rolled her eyes hearing that, "Nurse N, several other nurses and orderlies, that's including Paul and John." Just then, Dr. Howard opened the door and walked in with the little kitten in his hands.

"Good evening," he said to all, then he turned to Alice, "Alice, if I recall correctly, your family had a cat, did they not?"

"We did, yes."

"And that cat had kittens?"

"Yes."

"Well Alice," he said sitting on the bed, "then I'm going to let you take care of this little cat. But as it's mother is dead, you now have to take care of it. Do you know how to take care of orphaned cats Alice?" Alice thought about it for a moment.

"I believe so, Dinah was a stray when we found her as a kitten, and I do remember how my mother took care of her...a little bit."

"Well then," he said placing the cat on the blanket, "I'll let you watch it tonight, then tomorrow, I'll show you how to take care of it." Alice liked this idea, it would be grand to have two sleeping companions with her, referring to her toy rabbit of course.

"Did you mend your pipe?" asked Dr. Makin to Ivan.

"No, I couldn't. It's far to broken."

"What happened?" asked Alice.

"Oh earlier," said Dr. Howard, "I broke my favorite smoking pipe today, I'll just get a new one later."

"Is there anything else you need before you go to bed?" asked Dr. Malkin to Alice.

"No thank you," she said picking up the cat, "good night."

"Good night then, Alice." said Dr. Howard and the three left her alone with the bunny and the kitty. Alice silently continued to pet the kitten, then after awhile, she set it down on the bed and just silently watched it. The kitten, still a tiny little thing, warily sniffed the blanket and tried to walk around. But as it was so young, the cat looked more like someone was shaking it as it tried to move about. Eventually, the kitten gave up and started to meow for it's mom. Alice picked up the kitten and said:

"Well, that will never do," she said shaking her finger at it, "you must learn to walk on your own, and you can't expect to do it all in one night. Now it's far past your bedtime, and don't look at me so," she said as if the kitten was actually paying attention to the conversation and able to understand it, "and stop fussing so, arguing will not help." She made a little nest from the blanket and set the kitten in it, the kitten at first looked up a the girl, then toppled over because so, but that made it lie down in the nest and it curled up in it. Alice petted the kitten again and blew out the candle and settled in herself with the rabbit in arms and fell asleep.

The next morning, Alice woke up before the orderlies would wake her up. **(1)**She rolled to her side to get comfortable, but had quite forgotten the kitten was on the bed and when she rolled on it, it wailed so loud it woke her up and made her jump and fall out of bed. She sat up and looked at the stupid thing, in turn, it looked at her with large dark-blue eyes.

"What lungs you have!" she said while standing up and rubbing the spot that hit the ground. As she was now wide awake, there wasn't much else to do than just to patiently wait until the nurses would come and take her to the bathing room, so she laid back down and put the kitten on her chest as she gently stroked it.

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The hired coaches were driving up to the asylum; the head coachman, who was also the master coachman of the company, never liked working for the asylum. He looked up to the dark building, not looking forward to today. Oh sure, their money was good, but every time they would hire them to take the lunatics out, they would damage not only the coaches, but the businesses image as well.

"Perhaps this will be the last time I'll accept the asylums request," he mumbled to himself as he climbed up the steps of the asylum, "but then again, they do pay for everything, including damages." He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked up at the door and knocked on it. Eventually, a nurse opened the door and asked what their business was.

"We were hired to take the fools out to London." he said to her.

"I see, I'll fetch Dr. Howard. One moment please." she then closed the door and left the coachman standing there, grumbling. After a few moments, Dr. Howard came out to talk to the man.

"Hello old man," said Dr. Howard pulling out the required payment for the coaches, "how's business?"

"Could be better," said the coachman taking the money and putting it in his pocket, "business has been slow. Truthfully, I don't like taking these fools, but I need the money."

"I appreciate your honesty," said Dr. Howard, "however, these patients aren't 'fools', most of them are highly inelegant."

"And murderous I've heard." said the coachman, and Dr. Howard couldn't deny it.

"How's the old building keeping up then?" asked the coachman.

"It's getting more and more difficult earning money for the asylum," said Dr. Howard, "funding is so slim now, and I don't know how to earn more."

**(2)**"Well, you could earn it like Bethlem Royal." suggested the coachman.

"No," said Dr. Howard sternly, "I will not have Rutledges turn into another Bethlem Royal Hospital! Rutledges prides itself on its compassion and understanding for the patients."

"Just a suggestion, mate." said the coachman turning around to climb back on top of the coach. Just as the man sat down on the seat, the escorts and patients came out of the asylum. The inmates were out of their asylum 'uniform' and in street clothes, but they had large pins on their shirts that said: 'Insane'. All of the attendance were also in their street clothes, all except Nurse M, who was still in her nurses uniform.

"Come now, get in line, get in line," herded Nurse M, "go to your designated attendant and go in your coaches." Alice, who was standing still, didn't know what she was taking about. She didn't know that they had a designated anything. She looked around at each forming group, not knowing who to go to. Nurse M looked over her shoulder and saw Alice standing there. She scowled at her and marched over to her. But before she could say anything, Alice asked her:

"I beg your pardon, but I didn't know that we..."

"Your in my group," said Nurse M, "and our coach is at the far end, over there." Alice looked at the last coach, and as she was, Nurse M walked up to her and snatched the stuffed bunny right out of her hands.

"You won't be needing this."

"Please," begged Alice as she reached for it, "give him back!"

"You're 17 years old, young adults don't carry around filthy rubbish with them at all times. If you were my child, I would have burned this thing when you were five."

"Give him back!" yelled out Alice, and as the two struggled, the coachman looked at the two. He wiped his forehead and quietly mumbled to himself:

"God, here we go."

Nurse M continued to keep the toy away from Alice, but then Dr. Howard snatched it from Nurse M's hands and said:

"Come on Mary, let the child have her toy." he then handed Alice the toy and she snatched it back and hid it behind her back from Nurse M. Nurse M looked at Dr. Howard and said:

"Come now Ivan, you know the girl needs to let the thing go."

"Only when she is ready." he said with a smile, he then took Nurse M lovingly by the shoulder and led her away to say something to her. As Alice watched the two walk away, she heard someone struggling with something. She looked to the right and saw Paul trying to put two large picnic baskets on top of one of the coaches, then the coachman finally decided to help him and jumped down to assist him. She continued to watch when she was startled when another inmate bumped into her as he continued to look up at the sky for unknown reasons. She turned away from him when another younger inmate wanted to see her rabbit a bit better and he tried to gently take it from her. Alice felt his attempt and she brought the rabbit back around from her back and she held it close. She started to back away when she bumped into Dr. Malkin. He looked at her while smiling.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"I-I'm fine," she said looking around nervously, "who-who else is coming?" she said trying to change the subject.

"Oh, everyone here is going, no one else." he said adjusting his hat.

"I see...and we are to go to town shortly?" she asked.

"Just as soon as everyone is ready," said Dr. Barr walking up to the two, clasping his cuffs close, "then we'll be on our way." Alice looked at him, she remembered that suit that he was in. It was the same one that he had worn when she had first meet him.

"Is David coming with us? I don't see him." she asked, looking around for him.

"No, he isn't. He hasn't been here long enough to go out on the outing. Maybe next time he will be able to. But his family is coming to see him later today, so he won't be so lonely," said Dr. Malkin, "if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my group." he tipped his hat in respect to her and he walked over to his group. Alice looked over at Dr. Malkin's group, envying them. She didn't want to be in Nurse M's group. She then saw Dr. Howard walk over to her and said to her:

"Don't worry about Mary," he said with a smile, "she's not all that bad."

"Do tell." said Alice. Dr. Howard looked with a bigger smile. After a small pause, Alice whined to him:

"I do wish you were coming with us. I would rather have you than...some others." she said, quickly correcting herself.

"I wish I could come too," he said, "I'd rather go than to the meetings that I have to attend." Alice tuned slightly away from him, she looked over her shoulder at Dr. Barr, who was climbing into one of the coaches. She licked her teeth inside her closed mouth, mulling over the situation. She thought and thought, and decided if she was going to say anything, now would be the best time to do it.

"Dr. Howard," she said looking up at him, "there's something I need to tell you."

"What would that be?" he asked her.

"It's about..."

"Come on girl," called out Nurse M to Alice, "your holding up the groups! Hurry up and get in the coach." Alice looked at her, slightly stammering under her breath, Dr. Howard gently pushed her as he walked her over to the coach saying:

"Best tell me later child," he said pushing her in the coach, "or you'll make everyone late. Off with you now, and have a good time." he said closing the door of the coach and waved to the head coachman. The coachman then whipped the horses and the small company moved forward toward the town. Alice wanted to look out any window to see the land, but every spot had been taken, so she had to sit between Nurse M, and another patient who stared at her the entire time, making her nervous. Near the end of the trip, Alice finally said to the boy:

"Do you mind?!" The boy tilted his head slightly and said:

"No." and continued his gawking. Alice huffed out of frustration and started to slump into her seat, but Nurse M grabbed her arm and said to her:

"Sit up like a grown up, don't make me tell you twice." Alice pulled her arm away and sat up as strait as she could. Eventually, the soft sounds of the horses hooves on the dirt road turned into the loud clicking of horse shoes on cobblestone. The patients looked out the windows, excited to get out and look around. Eventually, the coaches pulled up to a large water fountain and stopped. The patients started to get very excited, and the help started to make their way to the door to make sure that no one would run off on their own. When the coachmen opened the doors, the help quickly squirmed out and then took charge of the doors. They let the patients out one by one, and eventually, the groups were now formed. Nurse M, (how elected herself in charge of everyone) stood in front of the crowd and gathered their attentions in her usual fashion.

"Alright everyone, if we want to stay on course and on time, we have to do this by the book. Now, we will meet back here at 11 o'clock to go to the river side, at noon we will have lunch, then at 1 o'clock we will make our way back to the hospital. It's 10 o'clock now," she said looking at her watch, "so make the best of your time." She then stepped over to her group and started to lead them in another direction than the rest. Alice looked around at the different shops, she remembered when her mother would take her shopping. Back then, it was a bit more pleasant, now, everyone stared at them. She looked nervously at all the people who would look at the group then whisper to each other, some mothers lead their children in the opposite direction, even if it meant going back the way they came. Alice looked at her pin and was embarrassed. She moved to the center of the group and tried to hide from the prying eyes of the towns people. Alice looked over and saw that Paul and John were in her group, trying to make it stay together. This was comforting for her, so she didn't feel so bad now. When a patient wanted to see inside a shop window, he or she would say something to Nurse M and she would stop the group so they could look at whatever.

Eventually, Alice was looking around when she saw it. In a shop window, was a ivory and ebony pipe, with mother of pearl decorations in the ebony and the ivory was caved intricately with a scene. She quickly looked down at the price and she saw that she had enough to buy it.

"Nurse M," said Alice pointing to the window, "can we stop here?" Nurse M looked at the window, then nodded yes. As the group moved to the window to look what was in the shop, Alice walked over to her and said:

"I would like to buy something from the shop, if I may."

"You may," she said, then raised her eyebrow, "for what exactly?" Alice pointed to the pipe. Nurse M looked at it, she sighed out of annoyance but Alice had the right to buy anything she wanted. "Paul, go with her inside and help her purchase the pipe." Paul nodded and escorted Alice inside.

"Do you have money?" he asked her, she nodded and handed him her purse (which was a sock) that had the money she had saved up. As Paul walked over to the counter to point out and buy the pipe. Alice looked around the shop, and then she saw them as well. In a small section of the shop that sold one of a kind shoes, there were a pair of **(3)**women's knee-high lace-up black riding boots. Now, normally most people wouldn't have wanted that particular pair of shoes, because for one thing, most riding boots didn't have heals like these ones sported. They were far to tall for riding, and another reason was...they weren't fancy in the least, almost dull shoes. But as Alice was a strange girl who liked unusual things, found them rather nice. She walked over to them and looked at the size and price. They were an unusual size for a woman, far to large for women of that day, but as Alice was slightly on the tall side, they were her size. But when she looked at the price, her heart fell. Even though the shoes were very low on price and would be a bargain, she didn't have enough for them, not if she was to buy the pipe as well. She sadly smirked and turned around to join Paul's side.

He finished handing out the money to the store clerk and then turned to Alice to hand back the sock. She took it then and saw that she still had just enough to do something small with it, but she thought better of it and decided to save it. As she placed the sock back into her pockets, noticed the clerk pickup the boots and place them into a box. She looked over at amazement at the clerk, then looked at Paul, who in turn only looked at her through the corner of his eyes. He smirked slyly and raised his eyebrows as if to say: "What?". She smiled at him and hugged his arm.

"Thank you." she said quietly, so Nurse M wouldn't hear them. After getting the shoes and the pipe, they left the store; Nurse M looked at the extra package.

"What is that in there?" she asked Paul.

"Oh, Alice had more money than she thought and so she bought herself a pair of shoes." Nurse M didn't believe him fully, but found no reason to argue the matter further, and she continued to lead the group down the streets.

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The groups meet back at the fountain right on time, however, the coaches were late so the company took the opportunity to either look at what they had bought, eat it, or in some cases, break it. Eventually, the coached arrived and they got an earful from Nurse M about punctuality and all that stuff. After a half hours worth of riding, they reached a nice spot near the river and soon, the orderlies and nurses had the picnic set up and everyone was eating. After the meal was compete, they had about 20 minutes to just relax and have fun. Alice was sitting on the blanket and was busy making a daisy chain. She stopped for a moment to look at the river. She looked at it, and saw a couple rowing down the river.

"So Alice," said Dr. Malkin sitting next to her, "having a grand time on the outing are we?"

"I am." she said almost monotone, not really paying attention to him. He leaned forward to look at her face better.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure of what?" she asked suddenly, not remembering what he had asked.

"That you're having a good time."

"Oh...yes-yes I am," she said to him, then looked back at the river, "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"I was just remembering."

"Yes?" Alice looked at him.

"Just remembering."

"Oh," he said, realizing she wasn't in the mood to tell him just yet, "I see." He looked around and saw that Dr. Barr was having his hands full with a younger girl who had snatched his hat and taunting him with it.

"I better help Dr. Barr over there," he said to her, "if you'll pardon me again." He jumped up and ran over to the mans aid. Alice looked at the two men running after the girl, then decided to look at her new shoes. She opened the box and took out one shoe. The boot was made of high quality leather, meant to take sever damage. In her mind, she didn't see anything wrong with them, but a good deal is still a good deal so she didn't question why no one wanted the shoes. She took off her old grubby slippers and put on her new boots. They were very comfortable, and just the right size for her toes and everything. She leaned back with her arms supporting her up, and she started to click the shoes together in front of her. She smiled at the boots, pleased with them.

"Gather up the picnic things," said Nurse M to the help, "it's time to head for the asylum."

Alice looked over at her, then stood up to get out of the way of the nurses and orderlies, but she about fell on her face because she had never had worn a pair of high-heeled anything before. She quickly found her balance however and soon was walking around in the boots as she had been for years. The coaches arrived again and soon everyone was back inside their respected coaches; this time Alice made sure that she had a window seat. Everyone was tired from the outing, so handling the patients was much easier for the help. Even Alice was tired, and she quietly watched the land slowly creep by the window. When the coaches reached the Asylum, the inmates quietly stepped out of the coaches and quietly stood there awaiting for the orderlies and nurses to take them back to their cells. Alice, though tired, was happy. It had been a good day; she was put the new pipe into her apron pocket, ready to give it to Dr. Howard.

Dr. Malkin and another orderly escorted Alice and two other patients to their cells, since they were close to each other and all. Just as soon as Dr. Malkin had just put the key into the keyhole for Alice's cell door, Nurse P walked up to him.

"Dr. Malkin," she said quietly, "I need to..."

"Are all the patients in your group back into their cells, Dr. Malkin?" asked Nurse M as she approached him with Paul and Dr. Barr not to far behind.

"All but her." he said motioning to Alice.

"That's good, then I would like to..."

"Please," interrupted Nurse P, "I need to tell you all something." Dr. Barr looked at her annoyed.

"Is it that important to interrupt us?"

"Do you know where Dr. Howard is," asked Alice, "I need to give him something." Nurse P looked at the girl. She took a shallow breath.

"Oh...Oh, my dear. I'm sorry, but...Dr. Howard's dead."

* * *

**(1)This happened to me not long ago. My cat had kittens recently and during the night, she had moved them on my bed while I was asleep. The next morning, I rolled on one and it yelled so loud, it made me jump and I fell out of my bed. Cats are evil, conniving little things.**

**(2)Bethlem Royal Hospital is the first asylum ever founded in England, it was founded in 1247 in London. BRH however, wasn't known for it's kindness. In the 18****th**** century and a little bit of the 19****th**** century, for a penny, they would let you go in with a long stick and poke the inmates until they got mad and agitated. It was more of a freak show house than a place of kindness. In fact, the term 'patient' had replaced 'lunatic' and 'fool' in the 1700 to call them as such. To learn more about how Asylums have come along way from back then, look it up in your local library or go to com... or whatever the heck it is.**

**(3)In the game, Alice's boots are more like modern gothic boots than the Victorian style boots ever were. They didn't have metal all up and down the boots, they had laces. I tried and tried to find some sort of shoe that remotely looked like the ones in the game, but they just didn't have that style of shoe back then. So I combined several styles to get the one that would closely resemble the ones in the game. I made them only knee-high boots because they didn't have thigh-high boots back then. Victorian style of cloths would have never had anything like that at all, plus Alice isn't a slut. So to compensate, I'm going to give her black nylon tights...although I'm not sure that they had nylon back then...but used another material...maybe cotton? (Shrugs shoulders)**

**Well, I'm almost positive that you guys have questions now. And I'm sorry, I can't assure you when I will be updating next...I'm sorry again...nasty surgery breathing down my neck...I'll try super hard to get the next chapter up so your heads don't explode.**

**Before I sign off, there's one thing I have to point out before I go:**

**No, Alice and Paul have no 'relationship' other than friendship, and nothing more.**

**Any questions and comments are welcomed.**

**...I **_**love**_** cliffhangers...(Maniacal laughter).**

**Thank you and I hope to update soon!**


	20. Yay' or 'Nay'

**Chapter 18:** **'Yay' or 'Nay'**

The group just stared at Nurse P, not fully grasping what she had just said.

"W-What do you mean by 'dead'?" asked Dr. Malkin stupidly.

"Just that," she said with tears coming to her eyes, "he's dead." The group looked around at each other, the news not fully sinking in. I'm sure you know what it is like for someone to walk up to you and say that someone you knew is dead, at first you don't fully grasp the concept. You hear the words 'dead' and you think, "Oh, they're dead.", but after a few moments you think, "Oh, wait...I'm never going to see them alive again...they're dead."; that's when the flood of memories come and pain of them gone hits you. At the moment, everyone was at the 'oh' stage. Everyone was at a lost for words and thought, they didn't even notice Dr. Barr running up the hall to the group.

"What's all this I've heard about Dr. Howard?" he asked out of breath to Nurse P when he reached the group. Nurse P took a shaky breath.

"Earlier today, about a hour after you left, Dr. Howard had just finished his first meeting. That's when one of his patients demanded to see him. Of course he went and saw the patient, and spent thirty minutes talking to him." she had to stop for a moment to blow her nose in her handkerchief, "Dr. Howard had turned to leave the room, that's when the patient leaped on him and put him in a choke-hold...then snapped his neck" Nurse P looked at the group.

"Oh, deary- -he didn't feel any pain." she said to Alice after looking at the girl. Dr. Malkin looked over at Paul and whispered in his ear:

"Quick, fetch me a syringe of **(1)**chlorpromazine, have Nurse M help...," he looked over where Nurse M had been standing, but saw her half way down the hall now. "...have Nurse D help you. Tell her what happened as well." Paul grimly nodded and trotted down the hall.

"Come now Alice," said Dr. Malkin as cheerfully as he could muster (which wasn't much), "it's time to go into your cell now." He opened the door and with the aid of the other orderly, nudged Alice into the cell. Dr. Barr watched on as the three entered the room, then turned to Nurse P and asked:

"Who killed him?"

"I'm not sure, I wasn't there myself." she said to him, "You would have to ask Dr. Wilson...he was one of the witnesses, after all." Dr. Barr shook his head.

"What a mess," he said running his hand through his hair, "what a mess...I best get started on things then. If you will excuse me." he said and turned around and walked down the hall. A few moments later, Paul returned with the syringe of chlorpromazine in hand, and entered the room with Nurse P behind him. He handed the it to Dr. Malkin who then said to Alice:

"I need to..." but before he finished, she presented her arm to him, she knew what was happening and wasn't going to fight it...not this time. He gently took her arm and gave her the injection.

"Good girl," he said quietly, "now just lie down and wait for it to take effect." She did as she was told and laid down on the bed. The two orderlies and doctor started to leave the room, but Nurse P paused for a moment, and reached into her pocket.

"I don't know why I kept these," she said to her, "but...under the circumstances...I think that you would like these." She pulled out Dr. Howard's now-broken bifocals and handed them to Alice. Fighting back tears, Nurse P walked out of the cell and Dr. Malkin closed it behind them. Alice looked at the glasses, looking at the lightning-shaped crack in the left lense and the bent metal on the right lense. She looked at the glasses, not thinking of anything, just looked at the broken glasses. Soon, her vision became blurry and she couldn't make out the shape of the glasses, so she put her arms to her side and with her right hand, rubbed the broken lense between her fingers until she fell asleep.

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It was a cold, stormy day; making it even more miserable for the funeral attendants. All of Dr. Howard's closest friends and remaining family members were there, including many staff members of Rutledges. Dr. Malkin and Dr. Barr were huddled together, sharing Dr. Malkins' umbrella; trying to stay dry and warm from the rain. As Dr. Howard's Rabbi solemnly read a prayer in Hebrew, Dr. Barr leaned over to Dr. Malkin and whispered:

"Never fancied Ivan a Jew." Jack chose not to verbally anser the remark, but shot Dr. Barr a look that made him stay quiet. After the prayer was over, the Rabbi closed the book and said:

"This world has lost a truly, great man. Dr. Ivan Howard had always cared for the sick and lived and gave his life helping those, who he believed, had a second chance in life. May we all live his example that he had shown for us, and take in into our hears and pass it down to our own children, and make the world a better place to live in. Amen."

"Amen." said the crowd. As the crowd began to dissipate and go home, Dr. Barr and Dr. Howard stayed close together, still standing next to the grave and still sharing the umbrella.

"I still can't believe he's gone." said Dr. Malkin.

"Yes," said Dr. Barr, "it did happen so suddenly."

"What do you suppose who is going to run the Asylum now?" asked Dr. Malkin while stepping out of the grave diggers way.

"For now," said Dr. Barr following Jack in backing away, "I will, but a new one will be appointed or hired at the upcoming emergency board meeting."

"When will that be?" asked Dr. Malkin as he watched the grave diggers lower the coffin into the grave.

"Day after tomorrow, actually," said Dr. Barr as he looked around to see if his cabby had returned, "so we'll know soon enough. There's my cab," pointed Dr. Barr, "if you will?" Dr. Malkin nodded and walked with Dr. Barr to his cab.

"Will you be at the meeting?" asked Jack.

"Of course, as temporary head, I have no choice in the matter."

"What will happen to the asylum when the new head of psychology comes?" asked Jack As Dr. Barr climbed into the cab; he turned to Jack and said:

"Who knows, perhaps he will do what the inmates need, what needs to be done." The cabby cracked the whip and the cab drove off, leaving Dr. Malkin not only cold from the rain, but cold in his heart. (...oh, that's just corny... :P)

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After the funeral, Dr. Malkin, went and tried to tell Alice how it went, but she wasn't listening fully. After Dr. Howard's death, it became apparent to everyone that Alice was now emotionally dead. She wouldn't talk to anyone, eat anything, or sleep at any time. She just sat either on her bed and blankly look at nothing. She didn't even acknowledge the fact that there was a kitten gnawing on her fingers, she would just sit there and hold the rabbit, and continually rub the broken lense of the glasses. Nurse D took it upon herself to retrieve the cat and take care of it. She didn't even bother saying anything to Alice, knowing that she wouldn't receive any answer back.

That night, after not eating for two days, Paul and Nurse D decided to go try to force her to at least drink a glass of water. They decided to try to feed her late at night, around 11 o'clock; they brought a tray of food with them and entered her room. Alice was on the bed, blankly staring at the ceiling and still rubbing the glasses, that was the only movement she did. Nurse D sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the glass of water.

"Now look, I know that Dr. Howard isn't here, but he would agree with us that you need to eat something."

Alice said nothing, not even acknowledging the fact that they were even there.

"Look, at least drink this," said Nurse D moving the glass closer to Alice, "you're very dehydrated."

Alice didn't move. Paul walked over and sat up Alice for her, he then told her:

"Just do it Alice, just the water at least." Finally, Alice moved her head and looked at the two, then the glass with the same deadpan face she carried for so many years, then turned a blind eye to them, looking out the window.

"Please," said Nurse D, "just..."

"Leave her be," said Nurse M opening the door and looking a the two, "she obviously doesn't want to help herself. If the girl decides to die of starvation, then let her." Nurse D and Paul looked up at the old woman with total surprise.

"How can you say that?!" said Nurse D.

"Because it's the truth," sais Nurse M coldly, "it's pointless for you two to try further for her. You'll learn soon enough that the closer you become to patients, the more they break you apart. If you care for them, the only thing that will eventually come from it will be pain, your own pain. Go back to your rounds now." she said finally and started to walk down the hall. Paul finally lost it, he had listened to this sort of talk for years now, not just about other patients, but about the staff as well; including himself. He slammed down the tray and marched out of the room and said very loudly:

"You're one to talk, you old bat! You've always judged everyone around you, telling them how incompetent they are, how thing should be," Nurse M stopped in her tracks, but did not turn around, "how every patient just should be kept in their cells all the time and left forgotten. I don't know how the hell you ever became a nurse! Your just a bitter old BITCH, who doesn't or hasn't ever cared for anyone...ever, and you never will I'd wager! You just sit at your empty home and..." but he stopped his ranting. He stopped when he saw Nurse M turn around to face him; with tears in her eyes and streaming down her face. This took both by surprise, they never saw Nurse M show any true human emotions, let alone knew she was capable of them. Nurse M took out her handkerchief and started to dab her eyes dry, trying to compose herself enough to talk.

"You know," she said quietly and...kindly, "I remember- - when I was a young girl, I always wanted to help people. I worked hard as a child, trying to earn enough money for school and to help support the family. That's right, I wasn't born in a high-society class, me and my family were street-urchins. We strived ourselves in our meager earnings, but were proud of an honest days' work. In the end, I saved just enough money to go to school. My family wanted me to work at a textile shop, but I wanted to be a nurse. I went to the closest school I could find, in which, was the same one Dr. Howard attended." She paused for a moment, twisting the handkerchief in her hand, obviously trying to say the next half clearly. Paul and Nurse D looked at the woman, never seeing this side of her. Her face was relaxed and her voice finally had emotion behind it.

"He was my only friend in school, the other students treated be cruelly, because of my...upbringing. We graduated at the same time, and went our separate ways for a time, he came immediately here to Rutledges, while I made my practice at St. Petersburg Hospital. I only worked there for about a month, when I was transferred here. At first I was I was ecstatic, this was the reason why I went into the medical field, to help people. I thought helping these people," she said motioning her hands around the hall, "would be more rewarding in the long run, rather helping the ones at St. Petersburg. I soon gained many valuable friends and colleagues that I valued deeply, but not as close as Dr. Howard. Dr. Howard at the time was just a regular doctor, if I remember correctly, a Dr. Barkin was the head psychologist. His way, was the old customary methods of treating the patients; I'm sure your well aware of them?"

Both nodded.

"Well, to get to the point of things, I soon became very close to a particular child patient, his name was Brian. If I remember, he was about ten years old when he first came to Rutledges. The boy had his fair-share of problems, and more so. I remember every day, trying my best to get close to the boy and to help him, and this was back before they considered insanity 'curable', mind you. Everyone thought I was just wasting my time, that it wouldn't matter in the end, but Dr. Howard told me otherwise. He helped me with this, after all, Brian was his patient after all. After five years at Rutledges, he was considered 'well enough' to return home to his family. I was happy at first, but then six months later, he came back, he had a total re-laps. This time however, the courts has sentenced him to a minimum of twenty years to say. Dr. Howard and I were devastated, but we continued treating him as if he had never left. Several more years passed, and Brian's condition 'stabilized' if you will.

Then one night in winter, all of my closest friends were working the night shift with me and Dr. Howard. We had a grand time just talking and reminiscing about patients who had come and gone. Then the staff complained about the cold, so Dr. Howard and myself volunteered to fetch a full coal bucket from the basement. It took us some time, but we finally fetched the coal and when we came back..." Nurse M paused, "...everyone was dead. They were still at the nurses station near the stove, but they...I'd rather not go into details. But then we heard other people screaming, so Dr. Howard and I ran to the aid of that person...what," she said looking at Paul's Nurse D's faces, "did you think that what happened ten years ago was the first time a murder happened here?"

"W-Well, I...thought so," said Nurse D, "but you never..."

"Let me finish," said Nurse M raising up her hand, "please." Nurse D fell silent and Nurse M started again.

"When we reached the cell blocks, all of the doors of the patients that were under Dr. Howard's and my own care were opened and the patients were either dead or dying. We eventually reached the murderer to find out it was Brian...he-he said he did it to 'make more time for us'...the boy was completely jealous of our friends. So he thought that we would spend more time with him if he killed off the competition. Brian was shortly executed after that night...Dr. Howard and myself were the last of the original staff that was part of the murdered, and now I only remain, and I suppose I'm feeling bitter about it."

"Why haven't you ever spoken about this before?" asked Paul, feeling ashamed of what he said earlier to her.

"Dr. Howard and I thought that the past should remain as such," said Nurse M, regaining her usually tone of voice, "and after that night, I learned that if you ever get too close to the patients or any of your coworkers, especially in this field of work, then you are in for a lot of pain. That truth is now more relevant than ever. You two should learn from the past, like I have. I would not like to discuss this subject ever again, now good night." she said and marched off. Paul and Nurse D looked at each other.

"Well," said Paul with a faint laugh, "that explains a lot."

"Nurse M, wait!" called out Nurse D running up to her. Nurse M turned around sharply, with tears still in her eyes, but angry with Nurse D.

"Keep your voice down, you'll wake up all of England!"

"Nurse M please," said Nurse D quietly, "we just wanted to apologize."

"For what." said Nurse M.

"Yes...for what?" whispered Paul to Dorathy.

"For what happened to you all those years ago, and for all the times we've..."

"I know about that woman," said Nurse M, "and...I suppose I owe you an apology as well. Especially you Mr. Redcliffe," she said looking at him, "I've wrongfully selected you out from the rest and mistreated you for all these years."

"It's alright, sometimes I'm sure I needed it." said Paul.

"Yes you did," said Nurse M, "but...(sighs) you do look awfully like Brian did, especially when you first came to Rutledges."

"I understand." said Paul. Nurse M looked at the two.

"Well, I suppose you two are the closest things I have in the line as friends now."

"I suppose we are, Nurse M." said Nurse D.

"Please, call me Mary." said Nurse M with a smile.

"Alright Mary." said Paul.

"Not you," said Nurse M sternly at him, "and didn't I tell you both to return to your rounds?" with that, Nurse M walked out of the ward and closed the door behind her. Paul looked on, while Nurse D started to chuckle under her breath.

"Oh honestly," said Paul, "now she just enjoys tormenting me."

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"The meeting will now come to order." said the chairman as he calmed down the members, "This emergency meeting is to appoint a new head of psychology for Rutledges Asylum as the previous one has been killed. We will now speak of and then cast votes on the topics of: hiring a new head of psychology or appoint a current doctor of the asylum to the position. The floor is open to all, ten minutes time."

"It would be easier," said a man, "to hire a man from the asylum, not to mention save time and money to look for one."

"Yes," said an older member, "but that would grievously expurgate our choice in doctors, gentlemen. Leaving only one for us to pick from, that would be you, Dr. Barr." he said looking down the table at him. Dr. Barr nodded in agreement.

"Not to discredit your skills, Dr. Barr," said another man, "but it may prove more useful to look at other doctors that have more...shall we say...'acquisition' for the position."

"And if _I _may say sir," said Dr. Barr, "the man you hire may not have any kind of experience with the sort of patients we have. Not to mention may not handle things properly; besides...I believe my 'acquisitions' are quite suitable for anyone, thank you."

"I meant no offence, sir." said the man.

"And how would you sir," asked another man, " 'handle things'?"

"The way they need to be." said Dr. Barr. The men murmured amongst themselves and to each other for a few moments, finally the chairman said:

"Order, order! We will now cast votes on the matter of hiring a new doctor, all those in favor of the matter shall vote 'yay'; all those apposed shall vote 'nay'. All those in favor?"

Only three voted 'yay'.

"Let the record show that three men have voted 'yay' on the matter, all appose?"

The rest said 'nay'.

"Let the record also state that nine men have voted 'nay' so by elimination, this matter is no longer in effect and the only one left is the matter of appointing a current doctor to the position and as there is only one, all those in favor of appointing Dr. Denman Cade Barr as the new head of psychology?"

Nine said 'yay'.

"Let the record show that nine men have voted 'yay' and by default let the record also state that Dr. Denman Cade Barr is now the head of psychology of Rutledges Asylum. Meeting shall now come to a close and the matter settled," said the chairman as he banged the gavel, "Gentlemen." The members rose and talked to one another.

"Well congratulations, sir!" said one man who voted for Barr as he shook his hand, "I hope that you handle things well at the asylum."

"Oh, believe you me," said Dr. Barr, "there are going to be big changes."

* * *

**(1)Chlorpromazine is** **an** **phenothiazine and a phenothiazine** **is a greenish yellow crystalline compound, of various phenothiazine derivatives used as a tranquilizing agents esp. in the treatment of schizophrenia. **

**It's also fun to note that its also used as an anthelmintic** **and insecticide esp. in veterinary practice. (Meaning it's a de-worming drug for animals, what's its mainly used for today) **

**A famous modern tranquilizing agent is Diazepam...also known as Valium. **

**Phenothiazine was used in the very late 18 hundreds (1894), but in this story, Rutledges is testing the drug on the patients. **

**I am a lazy, lazy girl I am. Sheesh...a month...A MONTH!!! I haven't** **updated in a month!!! Oh...I am lazy. You guys must have though I dropped the story...never fear, I will finish this story! I hate half-finished stories. So anyway...this chapter would have been much longer...but it ran to long so I've cut it in half and will post the next half in a week or so.** **I'm not fully happy with this chapter...I'm going to work on it and change it a bit...especially that God awful** **bit with Nurse M and the other two...I am so not happy with it...but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. If it's fine as is...tell me** **and I'll leave it alone.**

**Thanks again!**


	21. The Class

**Chapter 19: The Class**

Dr. Barr was just finishing up clearing out Dr. Howard's old desk, placing any non-hospital related papers and items into a box; making way for his own belongings. He had boxed almost everything, but he decided to keep some of Dr. Howard's old (mostly valuable) things for himself. He looked at the open file of the patient that had killed him, still in it's place where Ivan had placed it before he saw the man. Dr. Barr picked up the file and scoffed in his throat, but looked up when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." he said closing the file and placing it down.

"You wanted to see me sir?" asked Nurse M.

"Ah yes, please sit down. I need you to take notes and several memos, and distribute them please."

"I'm not your ruddy secretary," said Nurse M, who was not in the mood to deal with him, "can't you find someone else to do that?"

"I've never heard you complain when Dr. Howard asked you to do this." said Dr. Barr raising his eyebrows, slightly hinting at something. Nurse M gave him a slightly bitter look, but sat in a chair with the note pad he handed her; ready to write down.

"And what are these for, anyway?" she asked.

"Simple," said Dr. Barr sitting down and resting his chin on his hands, "hospital improvement."

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And what he meant by 'improvement' was by changing practically everything. The good thing he did was: within three months of Dr. Howard's death the hospital was finally making money on its own for the first time in years, but the bad thing was the method of making it. He severely cut the patient care budget, meaning the patients didn't have good food to eat or good cloths and warm blankets to sleep in. He also fired many good doctors and other staff members, so the entire hospital was understaffed. But all that wasn't the worst of it, Rutledges was the new Bethlem Royal. That's how the hospital earned money, they charged a penny and let people in to look and tease everyone. The staff, however, was not amused on having to calm the patients down so often now, and also had to watch out for the safety of the visitors.

Because of the visitants of the asylum, most of the patients remained in their cells, but even then they were heckled. Alice, however, hadn't really reacted to any of the new changes. She continued her sour perpetual pouting and most of the staff hadn't the time to try to do anything about it. She didn't care to go out side, didn't care to see anyone, just stopped caring about most things. She was sitting on her bed looking at nothing with her back facing the door. She sat there, rubbing the same broken lense of the glasses and holding the toy rabbit. Eventually, the kitten, now old enough to run around on its own, hopped on the bed and demanded her attention. It happily purred and rubbed her side with it's head, but when she didn't respond to him, he turned his attention to the rabbits' ear and started to play with that. Alice looked down at the cat and decided to pick it up and pet it. The cat, more than happy to be interrupted for a good petting, went limp and purred more loudly. Petting the cat made Alice feel slightly better, and she stood up and walked over to the window to open it and have some fresh air into the room.

She opened the window and just stood there looking outside, lost in thought, but was brought back to reality when she felt something jab her in the shoulder. She turned around and looked to see who jabbed her, and to her great surprise, was someone she knew.

"Ah, there we are," said Charleen retracting the stick, "caught her attention now." **(HA! I bet you people thought her character was done...WRONG!)**

"Alice," said Charleen slowly, "I'm Charleen Perkins, your dead mothers' friend...remember?"

"Yes, I do." said Alice, slightly miffed about her attitude toward her.

"Splendid! My, my...look how well you've grown child!" she said sickly sweet to her, but leaned toward someone Alice couldn't see whispered very loudly, "Scrawny thing, always was, she was always the odd one of the family. Never did trust that one." Alice scowled at her, offended of what she said.

'_She talks as if you were to blame, I'd say something if I were you.'_

"But you're not." replied Alice very quietly.

"Alice," continued Charleen, "do you remember my daughter, Feather? You were school mates dearie." she moved to the side so that Feather could look at her.

"Hello Alice," said the girl almost just like her mother, "how are you?" Alice remained silent for awhile, then finally said:

"Why, why have you come here now, after all this time?"

"Oh well," said Charleen shoving her daughter out of the way, "we'd just thought that you would like to know that my daughter is about to be married this week."

"That still doesn't answer my question." said Alice.

"Oh, that's not important child," said Charleen, "but we've must go now. Have a pleasant evening girl!" and the two women walked down the halls saying out loud:

"I always knew that family had it's problems, I'm curtain it was her that set that fire all those years ago. Let this be a lesson to you Feather: never trust orphans and over-bread families." Now, hearing that made Alice angry. She turned around from the door and sat back on the bed and crossed her arms and sat there and seethed about it. A few moments later, she heard two male voices behind her.

"Here's the one. Look in there, you can see her." said the first man

"Didn't they say this one was pretty?" asked the second.

"Yeah, they did."

"Well, make her turn around then!" There was a pause, then she felt two sharp jabs to the back of her head.

"Oy, you! Turn around! Come on then, turn around." He said jabbing her again and again and again.

"Yeah, turn around so we can see that face." said the second man. The first man just kept poking her and poking her in the head until she finally turned around and gave them a very violent look.

"Whoa-ho-ho! Look at her," said the second man with a whoop, "quite the looker!"

"Hey love," said the first man jabbing Alice in the center of her forehead, "come over here and give us a kiss then. Ha-ha!" Alice stood up and walked over to the door, where the two men were standing. She looked at the men, with no expression to her face, making the second man back away. She looked at the remaining man, then quickly snatched the pole from the man with her right hand, pulled it free from his hands and jostled the pole right into the mans nose, all within one second. The force of the blow made the mad hit into the opposite wall, clenching his face in pain as dark red blood pored between his fingers. The second man ran to his friend's aid, and pulled his hands away from his face to see the damage.

"Good lord," exclaimed the second man, "your nose is practically gone!" Alice watched the man as he wailed in pain, but then looked up and saw four orderlies approaching the area. She pushed the pole between the bars of the door and sat back down on the bed, and picked up the cat and began to pet him. Two of the orderlies escorted the man for immediate medical attention and the remaining two got rid of the rest of the visitors from the hall. After the hall was cleared out, the two orderlies that had escorted the man now followed Dr. Barr as he came to assert the situation. When he got to the door and looked in, he said:

"Before we do anything, I want her in a straitjacket. We don't want anymore bloodshed today, now do we?" The two orderlies nodded and fetched a straightjacket. They entered the room, preparing for a struggle, but Alice calmly stood up and allowed them to put it on her. She was determined to show them that it wasn't her fault, so she thought behaving would be putting the best foot forward. When the jacket was on, one orderly, who had worked with Alice before, kindly placed her toy rabbit in her folded left arm, thinking that it would keep her calm. Dr. Barr entered the room and looked at her.

"Well, well...breaking a man's nose by thrusting it into his face with a pole, not very lady like now is it? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"They started it," said Alice, "I was only defending myself."

"Oh, had they entered your room and threatened your life?" asked Dr. Barr.

"No."

"Did they try to harm you?"

"No, they kept..."

"Then by all accounts you are the one that has the problem. I'm almost certain that they were..."

"Where's Dr. Malkin," said Alice, annoyed with Dr. Barr, "I want to speak to him."

"He's on holiday. But that's beside the point, the point is that now I have to mark you as 'hostile' and 'violent'. But I'm sure that you've always been so, with those cats, and every friend you've ever had and all." he said with a smirk. This made Alice mad, so she spat in his face right in his eye. He recoiled slightly as the orderlies grabbed her hand held her tightly. He cooly took out his handkerchief and wiped the spit from his eye.

"I believe," he said still wiping the spit, "some time in solitary confinement is in order, for the rest of the day with no supper. And I also think that you'll do splendidly as an example at the class. Take her away then." he motioned to the orderlies. The two pushed Alice out of the room and headed toward the confinement room. Dr. Barr turned to watch them walk down the hall, and thought that this would be an opportune time. He walked closer to the bed and looked under the pillow and in the sheets of the bed, but didn't see the rabbit. He opened her night stand and then in her vanity, but still found no rabbit. He moved back to the center of the room and looked all around, but didn't see anything. 'She must have had the rabbit.' he thought to himself angrily. Then he felt something batting his left hand, he looked down and saw the kitten on the bed playing with his dangling hand. He raised his left hand and violently slapped the cat off the bed. The cat made no sound as it hit the ground and rolled; it quickly stood up and limped to the farthest corner of the room away from Dr. Barr, it's left paw danging like a string. When it reached the corner, it began to lick the battered paw feverishly.

"Nurse," he called out, "come here," a nurse came into the room, "have this cat removed. I believe she's been hurting it." he said as he walked out of the room. The nurse piked up the now shaking kitten and left the room.

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Alice sat in a corner of the pitch-black padded room, not knowing how long she had been in 'confinement'. This was her first time in this room, at first it wasn't so bad, she actually enjoyed the peace and quiet, but after about six or seven hours of it she began to get paranoid. It was quiet in the room as it was dark, and the only thing she could hear was her increasing agitated breathing. Then she could here something breathing in the room other than herself. She shifted as quietly as she could and snuggled closer to the corner, trying to see what ever it was. She could hear it breath more and more heavily, as if it wanted something from her.

"Who's there?!" she called out, receiving no answer. But then she could hear the breathing approaching her slowly. She started to panic, not knowing what to do, then just when she could actually feel the breath on her face, she was blinded by a bright light.

"Hey," said an orderly, "come on, get up it's time to go." Alice couldn't see anything as of yet. The sudden visionary change stunned her and she didn't move from her spot. Two orderlies walked into the room and picked her up for her and pushed her out of the room. After a few moments, Alice was able to open her eyes and look around to see where she was. She realized that she was in a place that she had never been to before.

"Where are we going?" she asked the orderlies, but received no answer from them. Soon, they stopped in front of a large door. The one orderly then quickly took off the straightjacket while the other one had his hand on the door handle, unlocking the door. When the jacket was off, the second man quickly opened the door and the other one pushed her through the doorway, then quickly closed the door. Alice turned to the door and heard them relock it. She sighed and wondered where she was.

"We're doomed, you know." said a clearly frightened voice behind her. She turned around quickly and saw a man pacing the room. The man was older, probably in his late 40's. His very short hair and facial stubble was patched grey and black. His frame was next to skeletal, pasty skin, dark circles in his eye. He nervously paced back and forth in the small room, clearly very worried.

"Doomed? What do you mean?" she asked him. The man looked at her, then ran up to her and put his face so close to hers.

"Don't you know what's happening?!" he whispered to her, "They're having a class!"

"Class?" asked Alice, very confused.

"You don't know anything!" said the man, walking away from her, "Of course she doesn't," he continued on to himself, "she's a loony like everyone here! But I'm not...oh, no...I'm not!" he said slapping his chest very hard and looking at her as if he was defending himself. "I did nothing! I was wrongly accused of killing someone, and the damn courts sentenced me here! I'd rather die of old age in prison!" And he continued on ranting to himself, but Alice stopped listening to him as she could hear something beyond the opposite door. She moved in closer and put her ear to the door and could hear someone talking. But then she felt the man grab her and pull her away from the door.

"Do you know what they're going to do to us?!" he yelled at her. She backed away from him, fearing for herself, but he fallowed her till she it the corner of the room and could go no further.

"They're going to give us an lobotomy! That's it, we're done! We'd be better off dead, but no...they're going to do worse than that!"

"Lobotomy?" asked Alice, vaguely remembering what that was. Just then the doors opened and four orderlies entered the room with a table with wheels and straps on the sides of it.

"No!" yelled out the man, trying to run away, but two orderlies caught him and held him down while the other two helped them out. Alice stayed in her corner, frightened by the man's screaming. The four picked up the man and placed him on the table and eventually strapped him down, not without constant struggle and yelling from the man.

"No! No! No!" was all the man yelled out as they took him into the larger room, then closed the door behind them locking it. Alice could still hear the man screaming, she moved toward the door and looked through the keyhole and saw a large metal bed of some sorts in the center of a very large room. She saw other doctors and nurses standing next to the bed and she saw the back of Dr. Barr and he started to talk to a crowd of some sort.

"Today, I'm going to show you three things: the first is how to perform a lobotomy." He practically had to shout this because the tethered man continued his shrieks of 'no'.

"The first thing to do is have the patient subdued, as we have here." as he waved his hand toward the man. "This man has been convicted..." he continued on, but Alice stopped listening to him and focused her attention to the man. She watched as the orderlies move the struggling man onto the larger table and strap him down even tighter, placing a large leather strap across his forehead.

"Now, there are two ways of doing an lobotomy," she heard Dr. Barr say, "one way is to make the patient unconscious and perform the operation, the other is to operate while the patient is awake. However, doing while the patient is asleep can cause death in most cases, as you cannot tell if you've gone to far in the brain. While the patient is awake, you can be assured when you are done, and today, we will do this example." When the man heard this, he screamed at the top of his lungs, trying his hardest to free himself and run. Dr. Barr then sat down on a stool and brought a tray of surgical instruments closer to himself, while the students watching the operation took notes. Dr. Barr continued talking to the students, raising and telling which instruments to use in this procedure. Alice continued to look at the man as he struggled for his life. Two orderlies moved the strap from the man's head and moved it to the mans neck, then both men held firmly on the man's head.

"Now it's important that the patient not move while this takes place," said Dr. Barr picking up a scalpel, "you can, however, use painkillers to ease the patient's pain, but I never use them as they can give you false results." Dr. Barr leaned over the man, and with his left index finger made an imaginary line on his forehead.

"Make your incisions here, and here." He said then took the scalpel and cut the man's forehead. The man screamed out in pain and fear, crying out and sobbing wile doing so. "Pull back the skin to expose the skull," continued Dr. Barr as he made smaller incisions to make the skin more open and then took a needle and tread and sewed the man's skin apart to keep it away.

"Don't do this!" begged the man, sobbing all the wile, "For the love of God, don't do this to me!" Eventually, Dr. Barr finished sewing the skin and picked up a small chisel and hammer and tuned to the class:

"After the skin is out of the way, crack the skull by slightly tapping along the line, but be careful not to tap into the brain itself." Just as he said that, he began to tap and crack the man's skull. The man cried out in more pain, his cries made many of the students in the audience shudder and flinch. Eventually the holes were made and Dr. Barr put back the tools. The man's face was read and covered in tears and blood, his screams turned to quiet sobbing, calling out for his mother.

"Once the scull is out of the way and the soft tissue of the brain is exposed, take your scythe like scalpel, and gently cut into the brain. Be careful not to cut any blood vessels." The man closed his eyes as Dr. Barr lowered the scalpel and started to cut into the man's brain. At first the man made no movement, but then his eyes shot open and his body seemed to be having a seizure. Then suddenly, the man stopped moving and just laid there.

"Check the patients breathing and pulse often; once the patients eyes become dull and unresponsive then you may start finishing procedures." he said standing up and washed his hands in a bowl of clean water, and one nurse started the finishing procedures. As Dr. Barr continued to talk to the class about the next procedure. Alice looked one for a few more seconds, at the now still and silent man just laying there. She stepped away from the door, wiping sweet from her forehead. Her breath was shaky and shallow, she was thinking of what he had said:

"They're going to give us an lobotomy!"

It kept echoing in her head, gnawing away at her heart. She was scared of what happened to him and what was going to happen to her. Suddenly the doors opened and the two orderlies came inside. Alice said noting, but backed away from them, not wanting to go into the room. But rather than grabbing and dragging her into the room, the one orderly closed the door and the other one took out his billy club. Without saying anything, the orderly jabbed Alice very hard in the side. He kept jabbing her in the side or in the arms as she kept backing away, but eventually it severely annoyed her. She then realized they were just doing it for fun, apparently.

"Stop it!" she said knocking away the club from herself. The second orderly then started to push her around until she was angry enough to push back. Finally, when Alice was very agitated about the whole situation, they grabbed her and held her tightly. She was now royally ticked off, and she was so ticked off she didn't hear Dr. Barr say:

"And now, after telling you how to subdue an irate patient, we'll show you how with a real patient." He gave the signal and the nurses opened the door and let the orderlies drag Alice into the room. Once she was in the room, the students watched carefully, ready to learn. Dr. Barr continued to talk, but Alice wasn't listening, she was looking around, seeing everyone staring at her. She started to struggle harder, thinking that she was going to be operated on next; eventually she did manage to free her arm from the one orderly and stuck the other in the face. The student's gasped and Dr. Barr turned around and saw what was happening.

"Don't worry," he said to the class, "everything is under control." The one orderly tackled her from behind, pinning her on the table in the center of the room, while the other went for her arms. Alice was in total 'flight or fight' mode by now, thinking they were going to hurt her, she managed to push away from the table and knock the orderlies down. The other two orderlies ran in to join the fight while the nurses started to prepare a tranquilizer. Dr. Barr kept talking to the class as he watched the orderlies struggle with her, and at one point forgot he was teaching a class and stopped talking, amazed at her strength. At one point, they knocked Alice over to the moved surgical tray that had been used in the lobotomy. She looked at the tray and quickly snatched up a scalpel and held it up, ready to use it in her defense. The orderlies backed off, not wanting to be cut by the very sharp tool. Dr. Barr then took the syringe the nurses had prepared and said to the class:

"When the deranged patient has taken a weapon, it is very important to..." but he didn't get a chance to finish, Alice ran forward made an attempt for the door. Dr. Barr, however, stepped in her way and the two collided, and the scalpel Alice was holding cut deep into Dr. Barr's arm. Quick as a wink, Dr. Barr stabbed Alice's arm with the needle and gave her the injection. The orderlies and nurses stepped in and pulled Alice off of the man and all tackled her to the ground. She struggled and squirmed and yelled out nonsense gibberish until the medicine took effect and she fell asleep. Dr. Barr grabbed the scalpel and pulled it out from his arm, then said to the class:

"That is an example...of how it can go severely wrong. I'll let Dr. Mathews take over for me while I patch up my arm, until he comes in, please go over your notes." he said as he walked past the orderlies and nurses as they started to take care of Alice. Dr. Barr walked out of the room with smile on his face, but when he saw Dr. Mathews, he wiped it off his face.

"How are you old boy," asked the older man, "I saw everything from the stands."

"It's not bad," said Dr. Barr looking down at the bloodied sleeve of his lab coat, "just a patch job."

"Well, you were certainly right about that one," said the man, "she is violent."

"Yes...quite the handful, that one." said Dr. Barr.

"Well, I didn't believe you until now sir, I was going on the word of Dr. Howard."

"Dr. Howard always had a soft spot for her kind, sir."

"Indeed he did, so, I will make the arraignments then, so don't you worry about anything."

"Thank you sir, I would appreciate that very much." said Dr. Barr as he watched the orderlies carry Alice away back to her cell in a straightjacket.

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The next day, Dr. Malkin marched his way toward Dr. Barr's office, fuming. He didn't even bother knocking on the door, he entered the room and approached the desk and said:

"What on earth were you doing with my patient?!"

"It's very rude," said Dr. Barr not looking up at him, "to enter a man's office without knocking. With that tip aside, what do you mean by 'your' patient?"

"You took Alice to that class and intentionally provoked her to attack! And what do you mean by that?" he remarked about his previous statement.

"Well, I'm glad you're here anyway. I was going to have a nurse summon you. I've relieved you of her, as you had requested." said Dr. Barr.

"You mean she's no longer my patient?" asked Dr. Malkin.

"Precisely."

"But...I made that request years ago." said Dr. Malkin.

"It doesn't matter," said Dr. Barr, "she's been reclassified as 'extremely hostile and unpredictable' and under that circumstances she is to be placed under the supervision of the head of psychology, as are the rules."

"You can't do that," said Dr. Malkin, "You need two other doctors signatures and witness of any..."

"They're right here," said Dr. Barr, handing Jack a paper with two other doctors signatures on it, "Dr. Mathews and Dr. Johnston happened to be in the class as it happened." Jack read the paper, then looked at Dr. Barr in total disgust.

"I thought you would be happy," said Dr. Barr, "after all, throughout the years you said you didn't want her to be yours?" Dr. Malkin said nothing, only headed for the door.

"Doctor," said Dr. Barr, Jack turned around, "change your attitude, no one is irreparable here." Dr. Malkin snorted at him and left the office in disgust and defeat, while Dr. Barr, made ready to see his next patient.

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Alice was in her room, rubbing her bruised arms and sore spot where the needle went in. She sat there, still humiliated and slightly scared of what had happened. She wanted something warm to hold, rather than her rabbit, so she walked over to the kitten that Paul had brought back for her and picked him up. The kitten had sprained it's little paw when it hit the ground, and still didn't like anyone touching it. Alice started to pet the cat, but it wasn't in the mood to be petted, so it limped off of her lap and onto her pillow to take a nap. She quietly wondered what had exactly happened to it's leg when she heard voices coming from out side.

"Is it yours Paul?" asked a man.

"Yes, I bought her only this weekend." said Paul proudly. Alice walked over to the window and looked down below. There were several nurses and orderlies standing around and admiring Paul's new mare.

"So what's her name then?" asked a nurse rubbing the horses head between it's eyes.

"Her name is Anna, after my sister." said Paul.

"She's gorgeous," said another man, "only about two to three years old. Must have cost a fortune."

"Yes, but she's worth every penny." said Paul rubbing the horses side, then patting it.

"So how's school going for you?" asked Nurse D.

"Wonderful, I'll be graduating this year...in fact, in..."

"Alright, that's enough," said Nurse M, "this isn't some knitting class. Get back to work." The group begrudgingly broke up, but Paul said to her as he lead the horse to the stables:

"Yes, mother." Now, about four months ago, he couldn't get away with that without losing an eye, but she only shook her head at him and walked away. Just then, Alice heard someone enter her room, thinking it was Dr. Malkin, but was displeased to see Dr. Barr instead.

"Hello Alice," he said with that non-needed cheesy smile, "how are you feeling today?"

She did not even give him the dignity of a scowl.

"Feeling quiet today?" he asked her. She turned away from him.

"Very well, I'll talk. Why don't we talk about..."

"Leave." said Alice.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," said Dr. Barr with a chuckle, "But I would like to talk about the first time we met."

"Or how about we talk about the time you gave me that bad shot?!" said Alice almost screaming.

"Easy." said one orderly.

"Now Alice," said Dr. Barr, "I'm quite sure I have no idea what you are talking about. I just want to talk to you about your family. Let's start on the night they died, now, how did they die?"

"You should know," said Alice, surprised at her bravery, "you were there."

"No I wasn't" said Dr. Barr, getting agitated that she was talking about it out loud, "I was at home."

"No you weren't!" said Alice. Dr. Barr was too smart to get into this argument, so he quickly changed subjects.

"How did you feel when Dr. Howard died," he asked, clearly hitting a soft spot on Alice, "I'm sure that it hurt you, didn't it?" Alice said nothing, but sat down on a chair in the corner of the room, looking sad.

"You would be happy to know that his attacker will be gone tomorrow. He's going to be lobotomized and placed in the adult wing."

"What do you mean," asked Alice, "he's in this wing?"

"Yes he is, he is in room 18, just down the hall." said Dr. Barr. Alice was quiet, thinking about it. She then looked at Dr. Barr and was tired of him.

"Why are you here? Where's Dr. Malkin?"

"I'm your doctor now, Alice." said Dr. Barr standing up; walking over to the night stand. He looked at the sleeping cat on the pillow.

"Now, I thought that I said that this cat should not be here," he said picking it up and handing it to an orderly, "take it away." Alice stood up, not wanting the cat to go, but the other orderly stood ready to take action and Alice was in no mood to fight. Dr. Barr looked at the night stand and saw the music box that Dr. Malkin gave her a long time ago.

"What's this," he said picking it up, "oh, it's that ruddy music box Dr. Malkin gave to you. What do you use it for, to help you sleep, isn't it?" he asked her. She nodded 'yes'.

"Well, that's going to change." he said, then dropping it on the ground and smashed it with his foot. Alice stood up suddenly, but the orderlies took hold of her. She struggled slightly, but realized that was probably what he wanted, so she stopped.

"That was a bit uncalled for." said one orderly to Dr. Barr.

"That's called 'shock therapy', gentlemen," he said to them, then he said to Alice, "from now on, you'll be getting a shot to help you sleep, like you've should have been getting all this time." Alice looked at him, with total hate in her eyes. Dr. Barr looked around, then walked back toward the night stand.

"Since we're on the subject of 'shock therapy', I'll be taking this." he said picking up the rabbit.

"NO!" yelled out Alice, struggling with all her might to get free and take back the rabbit, but the orderlies had the advantage on her. Dr. Barr walked toward the door and said with out looking back:

"You'll get this back, but only when your behavior changes for the better." He walked out of the room and the two orderlies turned her around and then shoved her toward the wall as they quickly made their way to the door as well. Alice ran toward the door, but it was closed and locked by the time she reached it. She reached out her hand and tried to grab the rabbit from him, then she tried to run the door down, all the wile screaming:

"Give it back!" She kept repeating it and running into the door with her shoulders as he and the orderlies walked away. Dr. Barr looked down at the dingy rabbit and smirked.

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For two days straight, Alice continued to yell and scream at the top of her lungs while trying to slam down the door. No one dared to enter the room, as she was liable to either escape, or severely hurt them. She hadn't slept or ate or drank anything for the two days, just kept up either yelling for them to return the rabbit, slamming at the door or both at the same time. Well, as you could imagine, she did eventually grow very, very tired. She had become horse from screaming so loudly and her arms had two large bruises where she had been slamming them. She sat on the bed in defeat and placed her head in her hands. After a while, she heard someone knocking on her door.

"Go away!" she managed to yell out, but they didn't. To her great surprise, it was Nurse M and John, with a tray of food.

"I see that you're done throwing your hissy-fit," said Nurse M, "so we've brought you something to eat." she placed the tray down on the table and looked at her, expecting Alice to dive in. But she only looked at the food and said hoarsely:

"No thank you."

Nurse M sighed, but said nothing more on the subject, she motioned John to leave the room and just before she herself walked out, she said kindly:

"You don't need that rabbit to survive, you know. This is just the painful process of growing up." and she closed the door and locked it. Alice looked up to where they had been standing. She then leaned over and picked up the glass of water and drank that at least, but just as she set the glass down, she heard a soft 'flop' sound. She looked over at the ground and saw her rabbit all tangled on the ground.

"I've found it." said Dr. Barr through the bars of the door, holding up the key. Alice looked at him in disbelief.

"That's right, I've found it," he said tossing back the key into the room, "and I took it. Sleep tight." he said and walked away. Alice continued to look at the door, then slowly walked over to the rabbit. 'He couldn't have found it,' thought Alice as she picked up the toy, "it was well hidden. Why he doesn't even know what the key is to and for...' continued to think as she picked up the key and looked at it, "...or does he?'

"He's bluffing," she said out loud, "but what if he isn't...?" she said less assured. She sat back on the bed and continued to look at the key. She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or lying...but...there wasn't really anything she could do about it, or was there? She sat there deep in thought for a few more moments, then decided to do something about it:

She was going to check, she was going to escape.


	22. Mirror, Mirror

**Alright...in the last chapter I failed to mentioned that it ended at NIGHT!!! So...yeah.**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Mirror, Mirror...**

Alice woke with a start, she had fallen asleep sitting on the side of the bed; her hand that was supporting her head had gone numb and unresponsive when she tried to move it. She rubbed her eyes awake with her awake arm, her body screaming at her for more sleep, as she only received maybe five hours of it. But soon the prickly, stabbing sensation of her arm woke her up right enough. As she rubbed her arm to calm the screaming nerves, she looked around, noticing it was still night. She stood up and walked over to the window, looking though the opaque window. She looked down at the grounds, mostly at the large metal fence and gates surrounding the building. The gate was clearly locked, and the gaps between the bars were far to small, even for a child to squeeze through. Suddenly for no reason, a air bubble within the glass itself bothered Alice, and she began to scratch at it, trying to rub it off. She did this pointless task for about five minutes, then realized what she was doing was not only pointless, but idiotic. So she turned her attention to her what was possibly going on in the halls.

She reached the door and went to slide the eye slots open, but found it locked fast. She was slightly surprised at this, but she knew what to do to open it, thanks to Robin. She walked over to the vanity and reached for a nailfile on it. As she reached it, she heard a quiet sound, almost like a sigh, yet not. She looked up and around, but didn't hear it again. She looked around questionably once more as she walked back towards the door, but as she heard nor saw anything, she focused her attention to the door. She took the nailfile and gently slid it into the right side of the slot, and gently started to fish around. Eventually she found the small gap she was looking for and gently poked the file end into it and slowly pulled the slot open. She pulled out the file and tossed it onto her bed. She opened the slot and looked around, seeing nobody in the halls. As there was absolutely nothing to do, being awake to her was pointless. So she picked up the file once again and placed it on her vanity and crawled back into bed. But as she was completely awake, she never did get back to sleep and had to wait three more hours before Nurse P came bubbling in.

"Wake up," said Nurse P kindly, "wake up now darling." Nurse P and John had come to wake her up and get her ready for the day.

"I see that you didn't eat any food last night," said Nurse P with slight disapproval in her voice, "honestly child, you're wasting away right in front of our eyes. Other patients would have been happy for this."

"Then why don't you give it to them?" mumbled Alice quietly to herself.

"Sounds like someone has a bit of an attitude this morning," said John walking over to her, "well...I've just the thing for that." he said helping Alice to her feet. "Come on, you're late for breakfast, and you're in enough trouble as it is." The three walked down the halls toward the dining room, Alice walking between the two. Now, Alice was normally quiet to and from place to place, but today both of the workers could tell that she was even more quiet than usual.

"Awfully quiet today," said John to Alice, "normally you're continually debating on _not_ going to breakfast, and usually we have to drag you." he said with a smile. But it faded when Alice didn't even look at him, she kept quiet and completely lethargic toward them. When they handed her food, she quietly picked up the fork and ate it with no argument, no fuss and no expression. After she had finished all of her breakfast, she was escorted to the bathing room where again she put up no fight toward it, and the staff had the easiest time for the first time bathing her. After her bath, Alice was expecting to head back to her room, so she went to turn down the usual hallway toward her cell, but John grabbed her arm and said:

"Whoa, we're not going back just yet. You have a dentist appointment today."

"Dentist?" she asked quickly, "What do you mean, dentist?"

"Don't you remember," he asked her, "you have to have a dentist look at you to see if your teeth are in tip-top shape." Alice wasn't thrilled with this idea one bit. Alice despised the dentist, any dentist, ever since she was five. She had a bad tooth and had it pulled and ever since then, she hated the dentist.

"I don't want to..."

"Now, don't worry," said John, "Dr. Pulsefur is very careful and kind. He worked on me last week and it went just fine." Alice looked at John with disapproval, but she figured that she had no choice in the matter. She quietly followed John to the dentist office in the far end of the asylum. John looked over at the moping girl and said as they reached the door:

"Oh, stop acting as if your going to the gallows! It won't be as bad as you think it will be." he said knocking on the door. A nurse Alice had never seen before opened the door and looked at the two.

"Alice Lindell is here for her appointment with Dr. Pulsefur." said John.

"And she's late," said the nurse looking at the two, "bring her back then." John and Alice entered the small office. Alice looked woefully at the dentist chair, dreading this.

"Sit down." said the nurse. Alice did as she was told and sat in the chair, but there was something different about this chair than a regular dentist chair. As soon as she sat down, John picked up the leather straps and started to strap her down.

"Why are you tying me down?" she asked.

"So you don't move," said the nurse, "it's only the dentist and myself in here, and it's mainly for our safety." This didn't make Alice any happier about this situation, but it was too late to go back. After all the straps had been tied, John stood up and told her that he would be back in two hours to pick her up and take her back to her room. And as he left, Alice looked around the room. The room was very blank and boring, not at what a comforting place should be. She turned her head and looked at the dentist tools. Now, as you guys know, dentistry is safe and usually pain free nowadays, but back then was a different story. They didn't have any fancy electric drills, or any novocaine...(I think that's what they use as the stinkin' numbing agent...I'm not sure), they had _manual_ drills and you _didn't _get numbed. She looked at the drills and the picks and the other tools and was _really _hoping everything in her mouth was alright. She then heard someone enter the room, thinking it was the dentist.

"Dr. Pulsefur?" she asked as she couldn't see him.

"No it isn't. He's a bit late in today and asked me to fill in for him." said Dr. Barr sitting next to her and grabbing a tool. Alice's heart sank to her feet. She knew what ever image of what she was going to go through was now ten thousand times worse than that. She started to slightly struggle in the straps out of fear. Dr. Barr saw this and said to her as if they were good friends:

"Now don't you worry, I'll be real gentle."

The nurse entered the room and started to gather the rest of the equipment for the checkup. Dr. Barr grabbed a tool and said:

"Open up."

Alice refused, clenching her jaw closed tightly. Dr. Barr nodded and said to the nurse.

"Grab that, would you?" he asked the nurse, pointing to a strange metal object Alice had never seen before. The nurse grabbed the tool and stood ready for the next order. That's when Dr. Barr reached over to Alice's mouth and pushed his index fingers past her lips. He then ran his fingers down her teeth, opening her mouth all the while, until he eventually reached the small gap between her teeth and her jaw line. He then pushed his fingers into this gap, having a hard time with it as Alice was struggling all the while, then he pushed the back of Alice's jaws with his thumbs right below her ears with a great deal of force. This was very painful for Alice, and it caused her jaw to open sightly, and that's when the nurse sprung in. She quickly reached over and pried her mouth open, still holding onto the metal device. Dr. Barr then took the device and fastened it inside Alice's mouth. The two then released her once the device was securely fastened, and Alice tried to close her mouth, but the device kept her mouth wide open.

"Alright, that's out of the way," said Dr. Barr to the nurse, "this prevents patents from biting the dentist." he continued on to Alice, tapping the device with a metal pick. "Alright, let's have a look here, shall we." he said looking at her teeth. Alice nervously looked back and forth at the two, hoping beyond hope that there was noting wrong with her teeth. Eventually, Dr. Barr who was gently picking away at her teeth, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

"Uh-oh," he said with a tiny smile, poking a tooth in the back of her mouth, "looks like you have a little cavity-right here." he said driving the pick into the cavity.

"Ow!" said Alice, then glared at him. Dr. Barr then put down the pick and then said to the nurse.

"Go prepare a tray of gauze for me would you, it's next to her gum line and I think that this will get a little messy." The nurse nodded and stepped out of the room to fetch gauze. Alice watched in dismay as she left, then looked up at an upside down Dr. Barr leaning over her, and started to hyperventilate and whimper. He reached over and grabbed a drill off the tray.

"Now, now...don't you worry," he said placing the drill on her tooth and grabbed the turn handle, "I'll drill nice and slow, so it won't hurt..."

Suddenly, the door opened up and Dr. Barr looked up at the new comer.

"Hello," said Dr. Pulsefur not looking at the two, quickly placing his hat on the hat stand and taking off his coat. Dr. Barr sat up slightly, very surprised to see Dr. Pulsefur.

"My...your...back so soon? I thought that you had to go..."

"Yes, yes. The ruddy fellow canceled on me, thankfully he sent his son to tell me so. Otherwise, I would have been awfully late." said Dr. Pulsefur washing his hands, not looking at the man. "Thank you for filling in for me Dr. Barr, I believe I can finish with her." He turned around with a smile on his face, but it slightly wavered when he saw Alice still hyperventilating slightly. Dr. Barr reluctantly put down the drill and stood up.

"Well then, I'll just go back to my rounds, shall I?" he said to the dentist walking toward the door. The nurse who had finally returned with the new gauze, looked up and almost ran right into Dr. Barr who left in a huff. She watched Dr. Barr march down the hall, then turned and said to the dentist:

"You should practice the old saying doctor, 'punctuality is a virtue'."

"Only to you ma'am," said the doctor to her with a smile, "now lets take a look at you now shall we?" he said to Alice. He sat down and looked into her mouth and quickly saw the cavity.

"A cavity, just a small one." he said to her, then he reached over to a pick to start the procedure, but stopped when he looked at Alice. He sighed slightly, setting down the tool. He stood up and said more to himself:

"I don't know why I asked him, he always get them all in a tizzy. I don't know what he says or does..." he continued to mumble to himself as he reached into a cupboard and pulled down a bottle. He walked back toward the chair pulling out his handkerchief all the while. He sat down he poured some of the content of the bottle onto the handkerchief and said very kindly to Alice:

"I can clearly see that you are all in a panic, so breath in this, and it will help." Alice looked up at him, not fully trusting him. He looked down at the handkerchief, and said to her:

"Oh, this? It's ether. This will calm you down and put you to sleep. I promise you wont feel a thing, alright?" Alice looked away from him, thinking about it, finally, she nodded to him and only then did he place the ether soaked hanky over her nose.

"Alright then, breath in deeply and slowly. That's right, good girl." he said calmly to her. As Alice breathed in the gas, she noticed that her senses became dull and deluded. She continued to breath the gas as Dr. Pulsefur continued to talk to her, although it didn't do much good as now her hearing wasn't all that good now. Everything sounded as if she was underwater, all muffled and disordered. She closed her eyes and when she reopened them, the entire procedure was done and he was just cleaning up.

"Ah, your awake now, good!" he said walking over to her and undoing the straps, "nurse, please fetch her orderly and a wheelchair." The nurse nodded and left the room. Dr. Pulsefur finished undoing the straps and turned around and continued talking to Alice.

"Just stay in the chair until the wheelchair comes in. Your head may ack from the gas and the dental work, so I've already given you a painkiller shot that will counteract it. But it won't last forever, so I'm also giving your orderly a bottle containing more painkillers to be given to you when it's time. No, no...don't get up," he said pushing her back down into the chair, "just stay there. Now I have something for you." he said reaching into his vest breast pocket. "Here you go." he said handing her a bit of marzipan. Alice looked at the treat and managed to say:

"So I can come visit you again?" He smiled at her and said:

"Well, I have to keep work up now, don't I?"

-------------------------------------------

As John was wheeling Alice back to her cell, she was quite pleased on how the whole affair had turned out. She rubbed the tooth that had been worked on with her finger, then smiled contentedly, liking on how she didn't feel any pain or had no memories of the experience. She was looking around the halls when suddenly a shrill voice that could challenge Nurse Ms' called out:

"John, John come here!" John winced, not really wanting to go to the person who that voice belonged to. But he turned the chair around and wheeled it back toward a nurses desk that Alice didn't recognize.

"John, you didn't fill out the forms on Perkins," said a very old nurse, "you know that muddles everything up!"

"I'm sorry." said John, not really apologetic to her.

"I'm _sure_," said the older woman, "you know that the paper work is _most_ of the work." John grumbled under his breath. Alice looked around rather pay any attention to the argument, but eventually she heard something that caught her full undivided attention.

"So," said John to the old nurse, "did they finish the lobotomy on Mr. Farrell?"

"No," said the nurse, "it had to be postponed until the day after tomorrow. The surgeon who is to perform it cannot make it tell then."

"Mmm...well, I still can't believe he did that to Dr. Howard. I really never saw it coming."

"Yes a most unfortunate affair." said the nurse.

"Well then, good day madam."

"Good day."

Alice looked back toward the old nurse, thinking about what was said. She was sightly lost in her thoughts when she felt the chair come to a halt. John had stopped at the juvenile ward nurses station, filling out the proper forms for returning Alice. She looked up at them and saw four skeleton keys off the key ring sitting on the counter. She realized that she was in the perfect position and had the perfect opportunity to take the keys. She looked up at the conversing staff members, and slowly reached over and quietly reached over to the keys and managed to quietly pick up one. She didn't have enough time to take any more keys, she just had enough time to hurry and shove the key into the rabbit into the same hole. She then tried to look as nonchalant as possible as John continued his way back to her cell.

After Alice was left in her cell, she walked over to her bed and pulled out her new key, hoping it was the key to her cell or more preferably a master key. Unfortunately it wasn't either, all the keys had numbers on the top of the keys, marking which door they belonged too; this one had the number '18' on it. She looked at the key with slight grimace, then tapped the key on her palm of her hand in thought, knowing the key wasn't any good to her. However, she decided to put the key back into the rabbit, and think the matter further. She walked over to the vanity, to brush out her hair as it was slightly tangled from the dentist chair. She sat down at the vanity and started to brush her hair, when she heard a quiet cracking noise.

She stopped brushing her hair and quietly sat in the chair looking around trying to hear the source of the noise. The noise sounded like ice expanding and cracking in itself, and after listening very carefully, she found the source of the noise. The cracking was coming from the mirror in the vanity. Alice looked hard at the mirror, wondering why it would be making the noise. She looked closer at the mirror and saw tiny little cracks forming all around the outer rim of the glass. She reached over to the mirror and felt the mirror, and as she did, it felt like someone or something slammed into the other side of the mirror. She quickly retracted her hand and stood up, backing away from the mirror. The thumping continued behind the mirror, the cracks growing larger and larger. The vanity jarred with each thump, items on it falling to the ground. The mirror was on the verge of and should have shattered, but instead, it moved as it were made of cloth, as whatever was trying to force it's way in blows would cause the glass to bow. Alice backed clear to the other side of the room, not really knowing on what was happening was real or not. The unknown force continued ramming the small mirror, and the wood surrounding the mirror was breaking away from it, and grey smoke escaped from the fissures of the wood.

"Alice?" She whirled around and saw that Dr. Wilson was looking at her questionably through the eye slots. "Is everything alright?"

"The vanity," she pointed to it looking at him in a rush, "its..." she looked toward the vanity and found it standing quietly as it should be, no jarring, no broken glass...no smoke rising from the wood. She ran over to the vanity and looked it over, all the objects were in their proper place and looked as no one touched them. She looked up at the mirror as Dr. Wilson entered the room with two other orderlies but paid no attention to them. She continued to look at the mirror, trying to see any cracks, she then reluctantly placed her hand on the glass, feeling it all over, trying to find anything out of place.

"I...I-I...it..." she stammered to herself.

"What's wrong," asked Dr. Wilson keeping his distance, "is it the vanity?" Alice slowly looked over at the three men, with a slight twitch in her eye.

"I...it's nothing." she finally said, running her hand through her hair.

"Well, you don't look like it was nothing," he said to her, "now what happened?" Alice didn't feel like talking to him, rather she leaned on the vanity with both hands on opposite sides, looking down at the hairbrush that had fallen to the ground. She could hear Dr. Wilson continue his questioning, but she ignored him, wishing for him to just go away. She looked up at the mirror slowly and looked at her haggard reflection. She looked at the sad, tired girl on the other side of the mirror and pitied her. 'Look at that poor creature,' she said to herself, 'jumping when ever someone says...'

"Boo." said her reflection with a smile to her.

Alice yelled out and punched the smiling reflection, breaking the mirror and punching through the other side. Alice retracted her hand and looked down at it. Her arm was covered cuts up to her elbow and severely bleeding.

"Hold her," said Dr. Wilson to one orderly, "you go fetch straps and a suture tray and bring extra gauze." The other orderly grabbed Alice from behind and held her firmly, then walked backwards with her till they reached the bed and he sat down. Dr. Wilson grabbed the top sheet from the bed and started to rip it into strips. He eventually took one and tied it tightly right above her elbow, trying to stop the bleeding. He then took the rest of the sheet and placed it under her arm and gently started to pick out the large broken shards of glass still imbedded in her arm. Alice didn't know what exactly to think or say or do, she just sort of did it without thinking. She looked at the arm and knew it should hurt, but it didn't hurt in the least. As Dr. Wilson pulled a very large piece of glass out, he tossed it onto the bed and grabbed the gauze from the orderly who returned with the tray. Alice looked down at the half-coated in blood piece of mirror he had just pulled out, the reflective side up and showing the same tired looking girl, now covered in blood.

* * *

**Hey y'all! I have to tell you guys something about the 'story development' of the last chapter and this one.**

**To tell the truth, the dentist bit in this chapter was meant for the last one, but on a whim I decided to do a lobotomy segment to save the more gruesome story for later...that right, you read right, the more gruesome story line. The dentist bit was meant to be very...very...very...bad...just bad compared to the lobotomy. But seeing that the lobotomy segment made you guys sick, I radically changed it, that's why it's taken me so long to present this chapter. At first I wanted to keep the dentist bit, then changed till I didn't like it anymore, then tossed it out. But then I would want it back in...and so I changed it some more and censored and rearrange everything...it took forever. And you know what's even sadder...the lobotomy segment you guys read was the censored version...I think I need to see my therapist**.

**I'm also very surprised on how you guys hate Dr. Barr, I mean yeah, he's the bad guy, but he was supposed to be the lesser bad guy of the story, and now I'm going to have a hard time topping him...DANG IT BARR!!!**

**And once again, the chapter ran to long and I cut it in half...sigh...I hate making you guys wait...oh, and another fun fact, Dr. Pulsefur is actually MY dentist, I changed the spelling of his name though.**

**Until next time!**


	23. Escaping from Rutledges

**A belated greetings! First of all, I'm sorry for the delay of the story...of all my stories, moving into a new home and starting school while maintaining grades suck the time and energy out of me...and then monkeys took over the world and all...what...weren't you there? ;)**

**Never-ever fear of me not finishing this story, IT WILL BE FINISHED!!! (as I've said...I hate half-finished stories.)**

**So...my happy-go-lucky readers...here is the next chapter! Things are going to get **_**very**_** interesting now, if I do say so myself.**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Escaping from Rutledges.**

It was official, Alice was sick and tired of being strapped down. Ever since the mirror episode, she had been strapped down to her bed and left alone in the dark for the rest of that day and almost all of the current day. The only time she was unstrapped was so she could go to the lavatory, but even then she found no reprieve from being 'watched'. (If you catch my drift. nudge nudge, wink wink)

She looked over at her wrapped arm; the straps aggravating her stitching beneath them, oh how she wanted to scratch at them. 'But still,' she thought looking over where the vanity had been, 'it was rather odd...' After she had been tethered down, Dr. Wilson wrote her down on 'suicide watch ' and so they removed any object from her room that was deemed hazardous to her, leaving the room incredibly bare for what it was originally. The only thing remaining in the room other than her bed and herself was her rabbit, she didn't even have a blanket or sheets. She was in so deep of thought of what would be a reasonable explanation for the mirror to bend in that sort of fashion, one would have said she was catatonic again. She only came out of this trance like state when she head someone yell out:

"GET OFF! GO!" She looked over at the source of the sound to find Dr. Wilson waving his hands and looking slightly agitated over at the window. She looked over to perhaps see whatever it was, but all she caught was a quick glimpse of a fleeting tail rounding the window bars.

"Damn cats..." he mumbled under his breath, "hope it didn't have rabies, there almost as bad as the rats in this place." He then looked over at Alice's face, looking for any possible bite marks. After a few seconds of this, he looked at her arm and said:

"Well then, back to buisness at hand." He walked over to her arm and removed the strap off it, which was a slight relief to her. He slowly un-wrapped her arm; the stitches sticking slightly to the gauze as he lifted it to see how they were healing.

"These are coming along nicely," he said looking at the stitches, "none haven't come undone...yes...so Alice," he said glancing up at her while he applied fresh gauze over her arm, "how are you feeling today?"

"When can I get up?" she said gruffly.

"Oh...tomorrow, most like." he said still wrapping her arm, "We just want to make sure that you will be alright, so..."

"Why, why tomorrow and not today? Haven't I been tethered long enough?" she complained.

"Well..." he said shifting his eyes around the room, "if I had my say, you would be up, but it's Dr. Barr's orders."

"Oh." she said not covering up any annoyance of the fact. Dr. Wilson looked up at her averted face, seeing the annoyance in her profile.

"If I may so," he said gingerly, "I've noticed that whenever Dr. Barr is mentioned, you get slightly vexed. May I ask why?" Again here was an opportune time to finally tell someone about everything, but Alice was just to stubborn and remained silent; pouting.

"Well, what ever it is," he said, put off by her demeanor, "you'd better get over it because he's coming in to evaluate you in about ten minutes." He stood up; his task done he left the room to continue his rounds. Alice looked over to the window, still brooding slightly, but thinking of other things. She knew Dr. Barr wouldn't let her off, so there wasn't point off hoping So tying to change her mood, she continued her plot of escaping the asylum now that her tools were no longer available to her. Thinking more and more about it and thinking more and more about life in the asylum and about Dr. Barr and how he had found the safe, she decided that she would leave that night, no matter the cost. Just then, Dr. Barr and a couple of orderlies entered the room and interrupted her plans.

"Good afternoon." said Dr. Barr with cheesy-enthusiasm with his standard cheesy grin, but Alice didn't see it as she didn't bother facing him. He sat down on the chair the orderlies brought with them, and started to write things down on his notepad and after a pause, he said with the same enthusiasm:

"So Alice," he said slightly sighing, "let's talk about what happened yesterday, shall we?" He waited for her to say something, but she said nothing; just looking at the opposite wall. He leaned forward a bit and said as if he was talking to a small child:

"Come now, the sooner we talk about it, the sooner I'll go, alright?" Alice glanced at him, then turned back to her wall. Not wanting to talk to him, but if it would make him go away, so be it.

"Alright then," he said leaning back into the chair, "now...when you hit the mirror, what did you see?" Alice remained silent for a few seconds, glancing over at him and not really willing to share personal matters to him, but she finally mumbled out:

"Myself."

"Pardon?" he said.

"I said: 'myself'." she said louder. Dr. Barr nodded and wrote down the information. He tapped his pencil on his notepad and leaned a bit to the left. He rested his arm on his leg and scratched his ear.

"So, you saw yourself...what were you doing?" Alice had never been very willing to share all of her personal feelings with any of the doctors, not even Dr. Howard, and this bit of information embarrassed her and she didn't want to share it, so she remained quite. Dr. Barr waited patiently for an answer, but when he was sure she wasn't going to give one, he decided to guess.

"Was it you...doing something, perhaps...something involving fire?" he said raising an eyebrow. Alice looked over at him, very surprised of what he said.

"What?"

"From what Dr. Wilson told me, you said that there was smoke coming from the mirror. Perhaps old memories are resurfacing in these hallucinations of yours."

"I didn't start a fire." said Alice flatly, glaring at him.

"Now I didn't say that now, did I." he said giving her a small quick smirk. Alice looked away and scoffed at him. Dr. Barr wrote down some information and then said:

"Now, you said: 'I didn't start a fire'."

"Because I didn't," she said flatly, "and I don't care for the subject any longer."

"All right, lets talk about something else then, shall we?...Let's talk about...your mother, yes your mother, now tell me Alice, what did you and your mother do together that was special to you?" Alice was taken by surprise by this question, but it was a subject she hadn't thought of in a long time.

"Sometimes when my mother was practicing the piano," said Alice slowly, "she would place me on her lap so I could watch her play, and she would show me the keys and even let me play with her, even though I didn't know how to."

"And your sister?" he asked.

"She would let me play dress up with her jewelry," she said as floods of happy memories came flowing back to her, "even her favorite necklace. And I remember Rhoda would tell me the most wonderful things, any time I asked her to she would."

"Any one else Alice," asked Dr. Barr, "did your...father do or show you something important to you or him?"

"Yes, he did" she said, "but it's a secret."

"I see...now did they make you angry?"

"Many times." said Alice.

"Angry enough that you...did something?"

"No...why do you ask?" she said getting on the defense.

"Now, now...I'm just asking..."

"You're suggesting something..." said Alice raising up a bit in bed.

"I was just saying..."

"You're saying I caused the fire, aren't you!?" She said sitting up as high as she could.

"Now calm down, I meant no harm. I can see that you still need more time." he said standing up to leave, "Perhaps you will tell me the whole story someday and..."

"What story?! I have no crime to confess!" she yelled out at him, "If anyone does, it's you!"

"I think you should keep quiet," he said jokingly, "or you'll cause the other inmates to howl along with you." and with that wonderful remark, he and the other orderlies left Alice alone to fume in silence.

-------------------------------------

The hours crept slowly by, and soon it was time for the staff shift, in which caused a bit of madness among the staff members. As the staff exchanged is formation about the inmates behavior and just general gossip of the day, Paul, who had just come back from a small holiday, looked at the roster sheet of any patients under suicide watch and the like; to find that Alice was on the list. He put down the list and walked down the hall to check on her and peeped into the room to find her strapped down. He knocked on the door and smiled:

"Having trouble staying in bed now are you?" Alice wasn't in the mood for a joke, and her silence said that plain enough. Paul looked at her and said more seriously:

"Do you need anything before I bring your dinner?" Alice thought for a moment.

"Perhaps a few extra blankets and pillows?" she said looking at him. Paul hesitance for a second, looking away from her for a second.

"I can bring you an extra pillow," he said kindly, "but I don't think I can bring you a blanket."

"Oh, please would you," she said, "I was rather cold last night, and it's not as if I could do anything about it now," she said looking at her straps, "couldn't I?" Paul sighed, looking around the hall, then said:

"I'll try to clear it with Nurse M, but I make no promises." he said then closed the eye slot and continued on his way. For the first few minutes, Alice looked at the door, waiting for Paul to return, but when a half an hour passed by, she believed he wasn't coming back with the extra pillows and blanket. When she heard someone opening the door, she sat up a bit thinking it was Paul finally coming back, but found a small surprise to find Dr. Malkin enter the room instead with Nurse P.

"Hello Alice," he said to her, looking at her wrapped arm, "I do wish it were under better circumstances , however."

"Yes," said Alice, "it was good of you to come and visit me."

"I'm not here to talk Alice," he said reaching over at the tray in Nurse P's hands, "I'm here to give you your sedation shot." Alice didn't want this shot...it would ruin her plans. She would have to smooth talk her way out of this one.

"If it's alright for you," she said trying to lay on any charm she had, "I'd rather not."

"It's not up to me," said Jack sightly bitterly to himself, "it's up to your doctor."

"Is he here?" she asked.

"No," he said, "he's gone home for the night. Come now, you've stalled long enough."

"But..." she stammered, trying to think of anything to say to get out of the shot, "I...just...don't like them." was all she could think of.

"I'm really sorry," he said sitting down on the bed with the syringe in his hands, "but this is standard procedure." He lowered the syringe close to her arm.

"That..." she said, looking at the needle, "never stopped you before." she said finally thinking of something to say; it was the right thing to say as he stopped and looked up slightly in thought. There was a small pause, then he finally said:

"What do you think Nurse P?" She looked at the two and said:

"I think if she behaves herself tonight...then I think it would be alright." Jacked twirled the syringe in his fingers, not wanting to give her the shot, but knowing it would be his job if he didn't follow Dr. Barr's orders. He finally looked at Alice again and then stood up and said:

"This is the last time now Alice. After this, no more, understand?" Alice looked up at him and smiled slightly.

"Thank you." Dr. Malkin and Nurse P went and left the room, and Alice was reveling in her quick thinking, but only for a few moments as Paul finally came back with the extra pillows and Nurse D carrying the blanket.

"We had to pull some strings for this," said Nurse D lifting the blanket slightly, "but we managed to do so."

"Alright then," said Paul to Nurse S, setting the pillows next to Alice, "help me put these under her legs then." Nurse D set down the blanket at the end of the bed and walked over to the opposite side of the bed to help Paul. Alice watched the two do this when she saw the best bit of luck she had in years happen. Nurse D had her hair in a french bun with hair bobbins holding it up, and as she leaned over to pull the pillow over, one of them fell out onto the bed next to her upper left leg. Thinking quickly, Alice shifted her leg slightly and covered the hair bobbin with her leg. Fortunately, they were finished placing the pillow under her knees and moved on to add another one under her head, and after that was done Nurse D placed the blanket on top of her and tucked her in.

"Alright then Alice," said Paul with a smile, "I don't expect to hear any complaints about you tonight then."

"Good night." said Nurse D.

"Good night." said Alice to the two and they left the room. Alice was getting exited, but now she had to sit and wait for the cover of night. She waited patiently for an hour and a half, but then couldn't wait any longer and she tried to wiggle her way out of the straps. The straps were tight and trying to squirm free was chaffing her skin. She tried for a good half-hour before stopping, not knowing how to really get out of these extra tight straps. She then thought for a moment and tried her bandaged arm. Unlike her skin, the bandages slipped and moved much more easily under the leather, and about ten minutes later, she freed her hand from the wrist strap. Even though her arm was still strapped higher up, she now had the capability to reach over to her other hand and unbuckle the other straps and in a few moments, she was free. She silently stood up from bed and stretched her back, then set to work with the bed.

She first picked up her new tool and placed it on the floor. She then placed the new pillows in a line to represent her body and then she covered them with the blanket, but she looked at where her head was supposed to be; not knowing what to put there. She eventually remembered that she still had her dress and other things in her closet in the room. She walked over to it to find it locked, so she grabbed her hair bobbin and picked at the lock until she finally opened it. She pulled out all her dress garments and her boots and her necklace and she noticed in the far corner that there was several pairs of old socks and an old dirty pillow case a nurse carelessly forgot to clean out. She grabbed the pillow case and stuffed the pillow full of the socks and balled it up into a head like shape and placed it on the pillow. She then looked at her bunny and reached inside it and pulled out the keys with in it. Now came the hardest part, she knew that she had to leave it behind, knowing if the staff saw it with the dummy they would think it was her. She placed the bunny next to the 'neck' of the dummy to help cover it up. She gathered her clothes and placed them neatly next to the door and started to pick at the lock. Soon enough, she had it unlocked and she opened the eye slot to make sure that there wasn't anyone in the halls. As soon as she knew there wasn't anyone, she gathered her clothes and left the room and quickly as she could, re-locked the room behind her.

She then started down the hall as quietly as she could, but then she passes door number '18', and her curiosity burned at her. She looked at the door, her common sense screaming at her to get going, but she wanted to see who it was. She looked at the extra key in her hand and then at the door; then walked over to the door and opened it as quietly as she could and entered the room. She quietly creped up to the bed and as got as close as she dared...and saw David sleeping soundly in bed. Alice could not believe her eyes, she could not believe it at all. Here she though all this time it was some sort of brute of a man who had killed the doctor, but here was this older man with the mentality of a boy who would cry if you told him to be quiet. Her surprise quickly turned to anger and she set down her belongings and walked up to the man and grabbed his shirt and shook him awake. David woke with a start; looking up at Alice in total surprise and fear.

"Why," whispered Alice angrily at him shaking him again, "why did you do it?!" David was scared and started to cry, she shook him again to make him stop and she repeated her question.

"Why did you kill Dr. Howard?!" she said with a bit of a quiver in her voice.

"I...I-It was an accident," he finally whimpered out, "I _had_ to..."

"Why, you sniveling little coward?!" she growled out.

"He...He-He was in trouble." he said.

"And how was killing him," said Alice raising her voice and shaking him harder, "going to help him!?"

"I didn't mean to!" cried David, "I tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen to me. I tried to stop him from leaving but...but Dr. Barr told _me_..."

"What," said Alice, "what did you say?" David didn't answer, chocked on his own tears, but Alice shook him again and repeated her self.

"I said: 'What did you say' you little idiot!"

"Dr. Barr told me that Dr. Howard was in trouble and he asked me to help him warn him!" cried out David, covering his face, "Leave me alone!" Alice let go of his shirt and looked on at nothing. She slowly turned around and gathered her things and left the room, re-locking David back into his room and left him to his fate.

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**I know it's an exciting time to end the chapter, but it feels appropriate. I can't guarantee the next chapter upload, I hope to have it up by Monday...but if not give it more time. Reviews are highly welcomed as usual. Thanks!**


	24. An Evening Ride

**...I meekly amble back! Yeah...4 MONTHS since I updated...gosh...I am sorry. I really don't have a good excuse...I think my brain made a mandatory hiatus of my story...as I had NO motivation for my story at all. Oh, and also I don't like this chapter...I didn't want to write it...I don't know why...just cuz. Well, enough of me, read on!**

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**Chapter 22: An Evening Ride**

Ignoring any angry feelings and focusing on the task at hand, Alice continued her way down the hall towards the door. When she reached it, she figured it was locked but decided to test the doorknob anyway, and of course found it locked. She pulled out her hairpin and started to quietly pick at the lock and a few moments later, she had it unlocked. She was about to simply walk thru the door but luckily commonsense caught up with her and she looked through the keyhole to see if anyone was in the opposing hall. It was a good thing she did, as there was an orderly still in the hall. However he wasn't in for long and soon left that hall to continue his errand. As soon as she believed the orderlies was truly gone, she entered the door and quietly closed it behind her. Alice was tempted to try the door that the orderly had just left into, but she thought that it would perhaps lead her right into a group of orderlies, so she looked around to see if there was another door to try.

This hall wasn't a cell hall but it still had many doors on the left of it. Alice walked down the hall for a bit until she came to a door that suited her fancy. She looked through the keyhole to see anything at all, but the other room was completely black. She tried the door handle again to see if it was unlocked and much to her surprise it was. She opened the door and looked into the darkness. Looking into the darkness made her a bit jumpy and she decided to try another door. She went to close the door but she could hear someone thumbing through a set of keys and entering one into the far end of the hall. She quickly darted into the room and quietly and quickly closed the door behind her. She held her breath as she listened to the orderly slowly saunter down the hall. Once she felt it safe to, she let go of the door handle and turned to face the darkness. She held out her right hand and blindly felt the air hoping to find something, not feeling anything she found a wall and used the wall as a crutch and slowly walked on. Soon however, she nearly fell on her face when she tripped on the stairs, the only thing that saved her was the handrail and her reflexes.

As soon as she found the handrail and recovered from the trip, she managed much better in the dark. She continued down the spiral steps until she saw a faint light and heard a rumbling, groaning. She paused for a bit thinking it could be a worker or orderly, but as she heard no one, she carefully continued down the steps and soon realized it was just the furnace that was making the nose and light. She looked around, having plenty of light curtsey of the furnace, making sure that noone was in the room as well looking for another way out. On the far side of the room was a second stair case and she quickly made her way across the room, for the furnace's groans and rumbles made her nervous and uneasy. As she climbed the stairs and faced the same darkness and obstacles as the previous hall, she wondered to herself just how was she to get to her old home once she escaped the asylum, if that at all. But she pushed the half-baked plan aside once she found (more or less walked into) the door. Again she tried and unlocked the door and opened it, but she quickly and quietly closed the door again, for there were two orderlies in the new hall, and she had not taken the precaution of making sure that noone was beyond the door.

She held her breath and bit her bottom lip, hoping that the orderlies hadn't spotted her, much to her luck they had just passed the door and were in a deep conversation with each other to notice anything of the like. The two orderlies exited further down the hall way; only after a moment or two did Alice attempt to enter the hall again. She looked around the hall, realizing it was a servant hall. This hallway was not very well kept at all, the wall paper was peeling off the walls and hung loosely in several places, dust and dirt was in the corners, not at all like the rest of the asylum. She only recognized it as a servant hallway for once when she was a very small girl, her family once stayed in a extravagant hotel and Alice had wondered away to explore the large building and had wandered into it's servant hallway. She looked around and muttered to herself that the asylum was more like a maze than anything and decided to try the far right door down the hall. She reached the far end of the hall when she could hear the same two orderlies laughing and talking to each other just beyond the door...and their voices grew closer to the door. She tuned around and fled as quickly and as quietly as she could back to the furnace entrance and closed the door behind her, and listened.

"And what do you plan to do after that?" laughed the first orderly.

"Oh, I haven't had the time to think of anything further," said the second, taking out his keys, "I don't see why we have to add more coal to the furnace, I thought we already did it earlier." Hearing this, Alice knew they were coming her way and she quickly made her way back down the steps as quietly as she could with out breaking her neck.

"We did," said the other orderly, "but you know the head nurse, she's...here now...what?" said the orderly opening the door.

"What?"

"I thought I locked this..." said the orderly opening the door, then at his friend.

"Maybe you thought you did."

"No...I'm certain that I did..."

"Oh, come off it," said the first, "tell you what, we'll have a look around the furnace just to make sure that no one's there and then we'll add the coal, alright?"

"Sound's like a plan." said the second orderly, gingerly stroking his billy cub at his side and entered the hall. Meanwhile had reached the furnace room again and heard everything. She looked around desperately, knowing she didn't have the time to run up the second flight of stairs, and her only course of action was to hide in the room. Seeing nothing that would do, she ran toward the furnace and looked behind it. There was a narrow space between the furnace and the wall but it was scalding hot back there but it was her only choice, she squeezed herself in the gap and prayed that they would not look back there. The orderlies entered the furnace room, and the first orderly said:

"Since I've the light, I'll check the other stairs, you look around." The orderly nodded and took out his billy club and searched the room. As he was checking the corners of the room, Alice was miserably cursing her poor hiding spot, as it was very hot and extremely uncomfortable. She could hear the orderly approaching her spot and she thought herself caught, then she heard:

"Oh, there's no one here," said the first orderly descending the stairs, "and besides, none of the fools here aren't stupid enough to hide behind there, they'd roast."

'Except this one...' thought Alice to herself.

"You and your imagination," sighed the first orderly, walking past the second and opening the grate of the furnace, "jumpier than a cat you are."

"Well I don't like it," said the second, "working at this Godforsaken place. You know what one of these maniacs would do if they escaped?"

"I'd imagine they'd head for the kitchen to get a midnight snack," said the first shoveling in the coal, "that's what I'd do. Now come off it, if you don't like the job then find another."

"It's not that, I just don't like working the night shift," he said looking around, "having it all quiet, and this old building creaks so, makes one jump."

"Oh, you are such a coward." laughed the first.

"I am not!"

"You'd jump and holler like a woman if you saw a tiny mouse scurry by, and you know it."

'Just GO!' thought Alice to herself as she was severely uncomfortable and could smell her hair singeing.

"I would not! Here, I'll prove it!" said the second and grabbed the arm of his companion and began to drag him up the stairs, "Just you wait, we're going to the morgue!"

"Now, now wait a moment," said the first nervously, "I was only joking. I heard someone died of pneumonia earlier today...we...it could still be contagions."

"You started this, I'm finishing it." said the second as they rounded the entrance and started up the stairs. Alice could here the two arguing about the morgue and who should do what when they reached it as they continued their way up the stairs and eventually into the hall. As soon as she believed them gone, she jumped from behind the furnace and ran toward a cool corner of the room. She wiped her brow and looked back toward the furnace, it rumbled as if mocking her stupidity. She gave herself a few moments to cool herself and then went up the stairs to try her luck again. She had to unlock the door again as the two orderlies locked the door behind them, (the second orderly made sure that it was locked this time) and soon she was once again in the servants hallway. She looked at the right side of the hall and decided best not to venture over there again, thinking it may lead to other unwanted problems, so she decided to try the far left hall door. She tried the door and much to her delight, it was unlocked. She entered the room and could see plainly it was a kitchen. As dark of a night it was, it was still bright enough to let some light through the kitchen windows, letting her see what was in the room. And because there was widows in the kitchen, surely thought Alice, there must be a door. She looked around and soon found the kitchen door. The door was a large wooden thing, with thick heavy locks. It took some time, but eventually she was able to unlock all the locks on the door and quietly open it and looked outside.

She looked to her right then to her left and saw she was in the back of the asylum, and she was also delighted that the kitchen was outside of the metal fence. Alice was delighted at this notion, she believed she would have to climb or wiggle her way pass it, but this was no longer a worry. As she looked around she saw the stables where the employees kept their horses and their coaches, and decided to make a break for that and change into her dress. She ran across the field and darted into the stables as fast as she could, and when she closed the doors, she turned around and studied the area. The stables had quite the number of horses, about 20, and 5 carts in the far back of it. Most of the horses were asleep, but some woke up when their visitor closed the doors, and watched her with some interest. She walked down the stalls looking for a clean, vacant stall for herself and soon found one. She entered the stall and began to undress herself. After a few moments of adjusting her petticoat, (and picking hay out of it) she laced up her boots, straitened her dress and hid the rest of her belongings within the hay.

Alice then walked to the door and opened it slightly, but stopped when she suddenly realized it was going to be a _very_ long walk. She turned and looked at the horses and wondered if she could...borrow one. Alice, however, didn't like the idea very much. Alice had only ridden a horse once in her life, and she was five...and she cried until her father let her down...and the horse wasn't even moving, so it was safe to say she hadn't much riding experience. She looked at the horses, not knowing what to do exactly. She walked down the stables looking at the horses, when she saw Anna, Paul's horse staring right back at her. Although Alice felt uncomfortable about it, but she decided if she was to take a horse, Paul's would be the best, as the fact it was Paul's gave her some form of comfort. She looked around and saw that each stall had a cubby box of some sort, so riders could place their belongings in a place and not mixing with others. Alice entered the stall and reached out and stroked Anna's head, then walked over to the cubbies and took out the riding blanket and placed it on the horse. Alice continued to attempt to saddle up the horse, and I do mean attempt, granted it takes time to properly saddle up a horse, but it took her twice as long as she didn't know one thing about saddling a horse. As Alice was correcting one of her mistakes on the saddle, Anna looked at her with slight grimace in her eyes. Soon however, Alice finally had the beast property saddled and was ready to go. She took hold of rains and lead the horse out of the stables, and once the horse was past the doors, she closed them and led the horse to the side of the stables, so no one could see her.

She nervously placed her left foot into stirrup and lifted herself into the saddle. Anna soon became nervous because Alice herself was nervous, and Anna didn't like the idea much of having a skittish rider this late at night. Alice stroked the horses side, trying to steady the beast, and soon she and the horse were standing still. Alice took the reins and tried to remember how to steer, she soon remembered (a bit) and soon had the horse moving at a slow amble. Alice looked over toward the small grove of trees and decided to go there first, to hide herself better from anyone who may be looking for her. She directed the horse to turn and about fell off at the horses sudden turn. It was mostly her fault, she turned the reins to harshly. Re-gaining her balance, Alice hastened the horse into a trot toward the grove, but Anna didn't feel like trotting and started to canter. This speed was uncomfortable for Alice but she wanted to get to the grove as soon a possible. Once the grove was reached she tried to stop the horse and pulled harshly on the reins, nearly causing the horse to rear up and buck her off. Alice looked back at the asylum to see if anyone could have seen her, but what little moon light there was that night was fading quickly due to clouds so she thought it best to start towards home. She motioned the horse to continue forward, as she wanted the tree coverage to hide herself and horse as much as possible; once deep enough, she turned to what she believed the way to the road they took to the town on the outing and continued on.

At first she believed she made a mistake on the direction, as she didn't see the road for some time but soon she saw it and was soon on the path. She stopped the horse once again, more gently this time and looked back at the dark outline of Rutledges, recalling everything that ever happened to her there.

"No matter what happens," she said bitterly to herself out loud, "I'm never going back. I'd rather die then to ever go back." She then motioned the horse down the road toward London, knowing if she found London first, she would find home soon after.

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Hours passed, and still she hadn't reached London. She knew she was on the right road, from the post signs and her memory of the outing. She didn't remember it taking this long to reach London, but then again, she wasn't factoring in that the horses that took her and the others were at a constant canter, not a amble one as Anna was in. Alice was actually enjoying the ride, however, and was rather sad that she never tried earnestly to learn how to ride before. She had gotten better at directing and Anna had also become more relaxed with her rider. So much so she began to try to sneak a bit of grass here and there, and Alice had to pull on the rains to make the horse continue on. After what seemed like they would never reach it, Alice could hear the tolling of the hour The Clock Tower at Westminster. **(a.k.a Big Ben...although Big Ben is actually a bell in The Clock Tower...but whatever... ;) )** She looked up and could see The Clock Tower in the distance, and was very glad of it. According to the clock, it was now one o'clock...Alice could have sworn it was much later than that, but pushed that thought from her head and urged the horse into a trot toward the town. Once she was close enough, she realized that she was on the wrong side of the river to reach her house, and therefore had to go through London to cross the river. Alice didn't like that idea...she remembered her mother and father always telling her the stories of what could and did happen on the London streets after dark, but as time was a factor in all this, she decided to pass through the town as quickly as possible.

As Alice entered the city gates, she quickly became overwhelmed and disoriented, as she had no idea where to go. She had never been to London all by herself before, let alone after dark and was scared all the same. She entered the town deeper, trying to keep in direction of the river, but soon had gotten herself lost within London. She nervously looked around and felt her stomach sink, she had no idea were to go or who to ask, the light posts gave the town an eery feel and made her skittish to any sound. She continued to look for a sign post or anything that would help her, but she didn't know what was where and which street connected to which street and this was all very frustrating as it was frightening.

"Is everything all right ma'am?" Asked a friendly voice to Alice from her side. Alice jumped and looked down to see a constable looking up at her.

"I'm a little lost," she said nervously, "I'm trying to get to the north side of the Thames, to the outskirts of Harrow." **(1)**

"Oh, well now," said the constable adjusting his helmet, "you're on the right track, we're on Waterloo Bridge Road now, just follow the street up that way" he said pointing with his night stick, "'till you reach Waterloo Bridge. You'll come to Strand, go right up to Drury Lane which will be on your left, follow Drury Lane up to the fork and turn left, you'll still be on Drury Lane mind you, then continue strait into Tottenham Road...by the way ma'am," said the constable, "what are you doing out so late at night?"

"Oh! Well...I...ju-just come back home from visiting my cousin in...Ro-Rochester...and I'm very late getting home and I'd like to get there as soon as possible, if you don't mind."

The constable nodded in agreement and continued his directions. When he finished, Alice thanked him and followed his instructions to the letter as best as she could. When she was in the heart of Brent, (which is next to Harrow) she could hear another rider galloping. She turned around to see if she could spot the rider, but couldn't tell where the sounds were coming from. She dismounted her horse and guided her up the road a way until she peeked round the street corners where she could clearly hear and see the other ridder slow down to speak with another constable. The rider seemed rushed and kept his horse at a Piaffe. (it's basically having the horse trot in place)

"Sir," said the rider to the constable, "I've been sent to tell you that a dangerous lunatic has escaped from Rutledges Asylum." Alice on hearing this quickly ducked back around the corner to hide herself better.

"How long ago?" asked the constable.

"They're not sure, they sent a telegram to the police station only ten minutes ago," said the ridder, who was a constable himself, "they said it's a young woman, around 17 years, long dark hair and large green eyes."

"Is there any other information about her?"

"Yes, they said she stole a horse, a brown mare."

"That's not much to go on...," said the street constable, "do they know for a fact she's here?"

"No sir, but they think she would come here if anywhere."

"Right then, I'll keep an eye out for her then." The ridder nodded and continued down the street. He whizzed past Alice not seeing her down the dark road. After he had gone, Alice meekly pocked her head round the street again and could see the constable was walking down the street away from her, much to her relief. She quickly mounted Anna again and waited for the constable to be far enough from earshot to cross the street. After crossing the street, she quickened pace to a quick canter down the roads, hoping to get out of London as soon as possible, almost not even caring if she happened into another constable.

Soon she had reached the outer rim of Harrow, and was able to see the country side again and as soon as she saw that, she had the horse go to full gallop. Alice had never gone this fast on the horse and had almost lost her balance, but she regained her balance and continued on her way back home. Soon the horse however became exhausted from all that running and slowed on her own back down to a trot. Alice looked around and was excited because she knew exactly where she was, only a mile away from her home. As she looked around she felt a rain drop on her face; looking up she could see dark storm clouds. She grumbled to herself, hoping it wouldn't rain, but as she was thinking this, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, not reaching the ground but so loud and sudden, it caused Anna to rear up and throw Alice to the ground. Alice had the wind knocked right out of her as she fell right on her back and she just laid there for a few moments. As soon as she recovered, she sat up to find that Anna had ran off in a state of panic an was nowhere to be seen. Alice stood back up and brushed herself off, and slightly pouting that her ride ran off. This however, was a minor set back as Alice knew where she was going, so she continued down the path.

As she walked down the path, looking at the path rather than what was in front of her, it brought back memories of her and her sister walking back from school on some occasions when the driver didn't pick them up from school. She remembered on how they would enjoy the walk at first, but then complained a bit when they began to get tired and loose their breath. Alice smiled at the what seemed to be a minor memory at the time of it's happening and wished that more of such memories existed for her. Quietly thinking on, she didn't even know if any sign of the house would even be there...after all, the house did burn down ten years ago. However, this question would soon be answered, for she looked up, and saw the skeletal remains of what was once her home.

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**(1)For those who don't know diddily-poo about London... Harrow and Brent are a borough of London...London has lots of boroughs...boroughs are kind of like a county, as they have their own local government districts...like a self-governing township...I haven't given it much research...and I don't know if they used the modern names of the boroughs back in the 1800's...but I'm using the modern names because I'm lazy.)**

**Once again, I apologize for that nasty hiatus...I think I needed it though...But NOW, we're getting to a juicy, yummy bit that will be absolutely FUN to write...so don't be surprised if you see the next chapter within a few days...or hours. :D**

**Again, reviews or questions are highly appreciated and welcomed! Thanks again!!!**


	25. Burnt Memories

**Hey, I'm back! Hooray! Hey guess what...I'm not continuing the story anymore...that's right, from now on this story will be about a Russian circus bear named Smeardolf who has sinus congestive problems; who has many adventures at his eye-ear-and throat doctors office with his lovable possum sidekick Gunter! YAY! **

Once upon a time on a tour in the mid-west, there was a Russian circus bear named Smeardolf with sever sinus pressure in his forehead that made his eyes all swollen and squinty and stuff. So any way, he scheduled an appointment with his doctor and was waiting in the waiting room reading on how to lose 20 lbs. in 4-8 weeks.

**...What? You don't want to read about Smeardolf? Well, FINE!! Have your crappy American McGee's Alice fanfiction back for all I care! But you will RUE the day that you snubbed Smeardolf and his wonderful, snot-filled adventures...RUE IT!!**

**Oh, and P.S. In this chapter I drop probably the only F-bomb in it...and it's kind of full of swears in it, so sorry if I ****offend anyone.**

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**Chapter 23:** **Burnt Memories**

The remains of a once proud home that had been burnt down years ago, now lay decaying slowly in view of the sole person who, more than anyone, knew what had happened the night it was destroyed. Alice looked at what was left of the house, seeing that it wasn't all burnt down as she had remembered; only about two thirds of the house had burnt all the way down. As Alice slowly approached the house she looked around and saw rotting burnt and unburnt wood from the house skewered around and left her wondering why no one had bothered to even clean the area, let alone finish demolishing the house. Alice reached what was once the steps to the front door but a large support beam had crushed the steps; forcing her to climb onto what was left of the porch.

Once on the porch she looked around and she could see (thanks to the lightning flashes) the full scope of the fire damage. There wasn't much left of the house mind you, but she could still see what was once the stairs to the second floor. She followed with her eyes up the steps till she saw the large gap where the fire destroyed it, making it impossible to climb up, not that it mattered as the second floor was gone. Alice looked around and saw that part of the living room still intact, the side wall and window was partially intact, same with some burnt furniture, but the sitting room was gone and the chimney that was the centerpiece of the room had crumbled within the house. Alice stood looking around, seeing the house in this state brought too many lovely and painful memories all at the same time, and it made her head spin. She stumbled in the dark over bricks and beams trying to find her way but soon came to it, the kitchen which had the cellar door in it but when she looked in, the cellar door was blocked and crushed from the fallen outer wall.

Alice was left scratching her head in wonderment on how Dr. Barr was able to get to the cellar if not by the means of the door. She thought about it and decided to see if the outside cellar entrance still remained intact. She stumbled her way outside, and 'round the house to where the cellar door was. The cellar door was gone, but not the steps down, so she made her way down the steps and into the basement. She still had plenty of light in the basement as the floor above it was burnt away, so she could see that the cellar had not been burnt all that much, but the weather exposure had still damaged it. She looked around and soon remembered where the hidden safe was and approached the spot. She looked down and tried to remember which was the right board to pull up, she tried several and eventually found the loose ones. She pulled up the boards and all the wile thinking on how the boards looked as they had not been disturbed for...

"Alright that's good enough girl," said Dr. Barr pressing his hand gun to her head, "you've done your part. Now raise your arms." Rather than listen to him she instead turned to face him in total surprise.

"Come on; raise your hands." repeated Dr. Barr patiently. Alice did as she was told to begrudgingly and as she did, Dr. Barr reached into her apron pockets and found the safe key. He then motioned Alice to step away from the hole but still have her in view, so she had to stand in the corner of the room. Dr. Barr then turned up the lamp he had brought with him and kneeled at the hole and finished exposing the safe. All the while Alice was standing in the corner in quiet bewilderment on what had just happened.

"My God," said Dr. Barr to himself, "I would have never thought of this...never...Your father was a cleaver man," he said looking up at her, "a very inelegant man."

"But..." she finally sputtered out quietly, "but I thought..."

"Thought that I already found this?" said Dr. Barr pointing to the safe, "That's what I wanted you to think. When I found out about this key of yours I hadn't a clue of what it was, really. For all I knew it was a spare key you had as a toy that your father gave to you. All I had to do was take it for a few days sitting on my desk, then return it to you telling you that 'I found it' and all I had to do was wait. That's called psychology."

"Wait for what?"

"Think girl, did you think I was tormenting you just to do it. I _wanted_ you to try and escape. All I had to do was push you so far until you gave in and decided to run. And don't think I sure as hell didn't put two and two together yesterday when you were so obedient and requested extra linens. I knew that you would try that night and I _thinned_ the security in the juvenile wing. Normally you would have been caught right when you left your cell. You shouldn't be surprised all that much, you are a smart girl, but I can read you like a book." With that Dr. Barr put the key into the hole of the safe, unlocked it and opened it. When he did his eyes widened and he reached into the safe and pulled out the sack that Henry had placed into the safe ten years ago and opened it. A large grin spread across his face and he giggled and chucked to himself. He then set it aside and like a small boy reaching into his Christmas stocking, looking around for something else in the safe.

As he was doing this, Alice looked down at a discarded floor board close to her feet, her rage thinking for her. She slowly made her way to the board trying not to draw attention to herself and slowly reached for the board and picked it up, but as she did, Dr. Barr looked up and saw her. However, rather than becoming frightened or going on the defense, he smirked; raised his eyebrow and placed his hand on his hip.

"Oh, really now? What did you plan on doing? (chuckles) Beat me with a discarded board, kill me even?"

"And, what if I was?" asked Alice.

"Well, you just mind your 'P's' and 'Q's' and just stay put in that corner for now." he said looking at papers from the safe, "Do you think that I was careless enough to come here by myself without telling anyone? In another ten to twenty minuets, half of the asylum will be here looking for you." Alice looked at him and backed away a bit thinking and scowling at him while Dr. Barr read one of the pages from the safe. As he read, his expression changed from a confident smirk, to a sad thoughtful one.

"...Why...," Asked Alice quietly; Dr. Barr looked up.

"'Why' what?"

"...Just..." she said her eyes darting around everywhere but not looking at anything, lungs clenching on themselves, finally her eyes locked with his, "...why?" Dr. Barr looked at the girl, and perhaps for the first time in years or ever for that matter, he took her seriously and actually felt compelled to at least make the attempt to honestly answer her. He turned his head away from her and said respectfully to her:

"I was born into a rich family that had enough money to support at least three generations, and my father always wanted the best for me, so he always gave me everything I ever needed and mostly, everything I ever wanted. But despite all this, I always wanted more, this reason I cannot tell you why, but I suppose it makes me a spoiled child. Yes, I wanted more, more toys, more parties...more money. But I never shared these feelings with my mother and father, they gave me all that and more; they spent more time with me than any parent I know has ever done so with their child, so saying I wanted more would be rude." He scoffed at his own words, then continued:

"When I was old enough, I decided to become a doctor not because I cared or had sympathy for anyone, it was just where the money was. So I enrolled into school and met your father there and we soon became close, and after I graduated I started a private practice for a while then I went to Rutledges." Alice quietly listened to him, but her anger began to flare up.

"So...All the people that you've hurt, all the lives you've ruined, all the pain you've caused me...was for money...to...to pleasure yourself?" Dr. Barr looked up at her but said nothing.

Alice stood and watched him, seething in anger and hate, but caught the look Dr. Barr flashed, and she decided to try some psychiatry of her own.

"You know, my father spoke the world of you whenever you were mentioned, but you've just proven that you never felt the same way. Whenever you wanted something you just stepped over who was in your way. You never cared for anyone other than yourself. " Dr. Barr violently looked up with daggers in his eyes.

"I _loved _your father, I loved him as if he was my own brother, and I had nothing but the highest respect for Dr. Howard and don't you ever say otherwise!" Alice was slightly caught off guard from his reaction and she stepped back, but she knew she hit a nerve and was going to go with it.

"Is that so? Truly? I've made up my mind," she said defiantly to him, mustering any courage she had, "I know everything, and as soon as the others arrive, I'll tell them everything i know. I tell them what you did to my family and..." but before she could continue, Dr. Barr said quite frankly:

"You really are quite the pathetic, wasteful thing aren't you?" he said shaking his head slightly. Alice was surprised by his calm voice and expression.

"Wha-"

"Oh, don't even bother." said Dr. Barr, "Do you really think they're going to believe you. You're insane. You broke out of the asylum, and if you run up to them babbling that, they'll just pat you on the head and toss you back into your cell until the day you die. And don't think that they'll pretend to listen to you for long. I speak the truth when I say this: your charm is wearing off. When you first arrived at the asylum, you were much like a mummy in a museum, odd, disturbing and utterly fascinating to look at and try to figure out. You were nothing but a pretty curiosity to look at and wonder about but as the years went by, the fascination dimmed and people moved on. You did manage to perk up interest again when you started to interact back, but even now, your very presence is becoming repetitive, predictable and annoying. Do you really think that they will put up with your childish behavior for another five years, or ten years? Will they think you're still charming when you're sixty years old and still won't act your age?" Alice was utterly befuddled, and had no idea what to say. Finally after mumbling to herself she bumbled out:

"I could...be...released."

"Yes, you could. You could one day find that simple answer, that nervanian enlightenment that would answer everything and set you whole again. And if you did, what then? Did you ever think of that? What would you do..." He said looking at her with sincerity. Alice, looked around at the floor as if the answer was right there on the ground, but it wasn't on the floor or in her head.

"...That's right. You have no idea what the hell you would do. You don't even know how to take care of yourself, how do you expect to live like that. There won't be anyone to hold your hand when things go wrong and there wont be anyone for you to run back too when things are at there darkest for comfort. And if you think that everyone will treat you like a regular girl, think again. They'll know your past and they will shun you, no matter how kindly they treat you in to your face, they will always murmur amongst themselves at you, and either laugh at you, pity you or just loath you. Face it girl...either way...you are less than worthless." Alice looked at him, and then slowly lowered her head and looked into nothing with half shut eyes. That was it, he finally did it, Alice was now completely broken.

Dr. Barr picked up the sack and other things from the safe and closed the door and replaced the boards on the ground just as it started to lightly rain. Then he picked himself up with his things and headed for the stone steps of the basement. Half way up the steps he heard Alice say droning to herself and to him:

"What should I do?"

He turned to her and saw that she had moved to the center of the room and was looking at him as if he had the answer for her. He reached into his pocked and pulled out a handkerchief that was wrapped around something, he held onto the wrapped object with his hand and held one corner of it with his fingers. He tossed the handkerchief still holding onto the corners and let the steak knife fly toward her, which clanged and skidded on the floor finally resting near her feet.

"Go see your family, and maybe find peace." he said to her and continued on his way up the stairs. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he could hear something, he turned and could see approaching lights coming toward the ruins.

"Damn...they're early!" He said under his breath and ran as fast as he could away from the lights.

'Shit...I didn't think they would figure out she would head there so soon. Goddamn...where the hell should I go...Shit, I can't be seen here!' He said to himself as he ran frantically into the nearby woods, hoping they wouldn't see his footprints in the mud from the increasing rain. He continued running forward blindly into the dark woods. 'I should find the river and try to cro...' he started to think, but he tripped and fell...and fell...and fell until he hit the hard flat ground with a loud thud, a long groan and his appropriated items scattered away from him. He laid there slowly breathing for a few moments trying to figure what the hell just happened. He slowly began to rise to his hands and knees, his back screaming as well as his chest and head. He rubbed his head which hurt the worst and could feel blood on his hand. He looked up to see where he had fallen from but could see nothing but darkness

"Isn't this _just_ fan-_fucking_-tastic." He said out loud. Just then he could smell something, then he heard something approaching. From what it sounded and smelled like was a old train engin. As he looked to see what it was he could see a approaching light and from the direction someone grumbled:

"What foul language you have, 'though I shouldn't be all that surprised."

"Who's there?"

"Why don't you light up the situation with that lamp behind you?" said the gravely voice. Dr. Barr looked behind him and saw a lamp that had a turndown flame on it. He grabbed it and turned up the wick and looked at the creature before him; slightly gasping and almost dropping the lamp. He looked at the dragon like thing, 'thought it was nothing like any dragon he had ever imagined as a boy. It appeared to have been created like Dr. Frankenstein's monster had been, that it had died; been stitched together again, and then reanimated. With its skull like head with bucktooth mandibles with bits of rotten flesh still attached to it's skull and what had once been it's lips, seemed to almost smirk at him. At the base of it's skull was what appeared to be a large metallic flexible joint of some fashion, with half rotten flesh poking here and there out from the top of the neck. The creature's chest was replaced to what appeared to be a furnace that had flames playfully lick the door's bars. Large metal pipes protruding from it's back aloud smoke to escape and rise behind it, and beneath that, the beast's belly was nothing more than what looked like clockwork, ticking and turning away. The Beast's large yellow glowing eyes looked down at the man with contempt.

Dr. Barr looked at the creature...then thought about it...and started to chuckle to himself. The creature tilted it's head.

"What do you find so amusing about me?" it said in a growling hiss.

"That this is something right out of medical school," said Dr. Barr smiling at the beast and standing up, "clearly I've hit my head in the fall and I'm either knocked out and dreaming this or am having one hell of a hallucination. Either way, you're not real."

"Oh, so if I am not real, than what am I?" asked the creature with amusement.

"A scrabbled dream, or if I go on a limb here and go with **(1)** Sigmund's theory, you could represent a emotion of mine, but I'm sure that if you have any physical form, it would be a concussion."

"You seem to have all the answers don't you," said the beast with a hint of promised violence, "then tell me," he said sweeping his tail under Barr's feet causing him to fall, "if this is a dream, why did that hurt?" Dr. Barr sat up and rubbed his lower back and looked up at the creature with unchanged attitude.

"Please, this whole dream and you are nothing but a joke. Soon I'll come to my senses and you'll be nothing but a bad head-ack."

"According to your earlier theory," said the dragon, "you just called yourself a joke."

"Don't get wise with me smart-ass." said Dr. Barr

"Yes, you do hate being corrected don't you," said the beast, "you've always hated it so. Only your opinion and way of thinking was the right one, and everyone else's was stupid and wrong. You've always want it your way and your way alone, despite what or who you hurt to get it."

"What's this," said Dr. Barr annoyed with the creatures gears and hissing; really wanting to wake up, "you're playing psychologist with me?"

"Why not, you play it with so many others all the time. You maskaraid as a man of medison; you shun the oath you took years ago to fulfill your selfish desires and wants. The joke you laugh at is the horrific crimes you commit for your petty ego and simple ends and pleasures; still you're not happy, nor will ever be. You vowed to protect the weak and helpless; yet you exploit them for all they're worth. " Dr. Barr had never been talked to like this before in all his born days and he despised it, but still remained silent with a defiant look.

"You've used the skills taught to you to warp others hearts and minds; to exploit their weaknesses. You find the things in peoples' hearts that they either hold dearest or hide from the world and themselves and expose it and then destroy them with it." the creature snarled. Dr. Barr looked up at the thing and smirked himself and took a casual stature.

"I could say the very same about you, you know," he said dusting his shoulders off, "here you are, telling me all of my faults and how I do this and that for whatever reason; and yet...you're doing the very same thing," the dragon looked at the man and smiled, if you could call it that, and held it's elbow in its claws and rested it's chin in the other, amused on what the man had to say, "might I suggest you practice what you preach?" There was silence between the two and for a moment all that was heard was the creatures gears and hissing. Dr. Barr looked up at the creature and did not care on how it looked at him as if he was a small child defending his imagination. Finally the beast spoke waving his arm:

"Oh, do please go on," it said with a laugh, "it amuses me so."

"Why are you here bothering me so?!" finally yelled Dr. Barr.

"I thought you knew why, you explained it so well, and besides" said the beast, "according to you I don't exist, so why feel so angry and yell at nothing?" Dr. Barr hissed between clenched teeth and cursed on how angry he was at nothing (as he considered the beast) and wanted this nightmare to end.

"What's the matter," said the beast lowering it's arms, "can't find anything to use towards me, or can't rationalize all this? Or you don't dare to, because if you go with your own theriories and use your knowledge of psychology, then you know what I am and where I've come from, real or not."

" 'Real or not'," said Dr. Barr sarcastically, "I'm going to ignore you and try to figure how to get out of here." he said while walking over to his scattered items to pick them up.

"Yes...please do that," said the beast, "after all, you've done that so well in the past that you've become quite numb now, haven't you...except perhaps," it said moving toward Dr. Barr."your feelings for pretty things," said the rotting creature reaching out and picking up the sack that held the diamonds, "like these stones." Dr. Barr, come hell or high water, was going to stick to his guns and still believe that this was all just a dream and the creature wasn't real, but he almost lost it when the creature had his diamonds.

"Do you not like it when I hold this over you head?" asked the dragon mockingly; dangling the sack over his head, "do you not like it that I've taken your shiny stones...after all...that's what they are and will be after you're gone from this world."

"So now what," smirked Dr. Barr, "are you going to preach to me that money is the root of all evil and all that?" The dragon laughed.

"Money isn't the root of evil, it's greed."

"Greed?" asked Dr. Barr.

"It's the desire of money that people associate the evil with money. People feel more comfortable when they believe that the evil is not within themselves, and place it in an object. There are only two true emotions: pain and pleasure.

"What are you babbling about?"

"Think human, sure they catagorize the two into smaller 'feelings' like love and sadness, but truly you only have two basic emotions, pain and pleasure. You try to avoid the pain and you want the pleasure, and you, in particular, are a glutton for pleasure."

"Stupid thing, you know how to beat a dead horse, I'll give you that" said Dr. Barr, "but what the hell are you getting at?"

"Yes, I did digress a bit didn't I," said the monster cruelly, "It's just a shame that your selfish pleasure hunt destroyed so many lives for these stones and other selfish things."

"Oh...I see," said Dr. Barr, "I get it...you're trying to make me feel bad aren't you. Make me feel guilty over what had happened years ago. Don't bother, I have gone over and over it for years now and let me tell you this: what happed, happened. There's no point on looking back and feeling sorry about what happened that I cannot take back nor change. Just be done with what you're doing and let me get on with my life!" Dr. Barr looked up at the beast, who smirked and dropped the sack and started to laugh at the man, turning away.

"You really are quite the pathetic, wasteful thing aren't you?" he said to him growling, and walked away into the darkness with laughter and steam hissing echoing.

"Come back here and say that to my face you oversized mechanical gecko!" yelled out Dr. Barr, rather pissed at the whole thing. He stood there in the soft glow of the oil lamp scowling on what had just happened. His labored, hissing breathing was the only thing you could hear...for a time. He stopped breathing so hard when he could hear something else circling around him very close by. He looked around and yet could see no one, yet it sounded like it was being whispered right into his ear.

"Beware the Jabberwock," It almost whispered in his ear, "the claws that CATCH!" it said harshly and he could feel sharp pain rake across his cheek. He clenched his face, blood dripping between his fingers; whirling around trying to see his attacker, but all in vane.

"Try blaming _that _on a stray cat..." said the voice cooly. Dr. Barr was starting to loose his cool, he begin to think that this wasn't a dream at all. He backed away from the lamp trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. He looked around in vain, until the voice spoke up again.

"Many would agree with me that you deserve nothing less than death for what you have done, and I agree, But I'm rather fond of an old saying that there are far worse fates than death...," suddenly two narrowed eyes and a crescent shaped grin appeared at the far end of the light and two invisible paws scrapped at the ground leaving behind only claw marks, "shall we try one?" Growled out the beast and soon came to full view. Dr. Barr hadn't the time to think or react, the cat lunged at him and pushed the man into the darkness where only screams and roars could be heard.

* * *

Several hours later back at Rutledges, Dr. Malkin was finishing filling out the escape and capture forms for Alice's case. He sighed and rubbed his forehead and began to write in Alice's case-log.

'Tonight marked a severer downward spiral for Alice, around 10 o'clock she escaped the asylum due to the lack of security. In searching for her, we decided to go to the old house that had burnt down to see if that of all places she would most likely go to. We arrived at the remains of the house around 12:30 a.m., to discover that Alice had slit both wrists with a steak knife from the asylum kitchen. If this was the reason for the escape, I do not know. Although she had lost quite the amount of blood, we were able to stop the bleeding and quickly plaster the wounds until we could have the proper tools to stitch up her arms. I do not think that the cut's will leave that large of scars, if any at all, on her arms. Alice is now back in her cell on suicide watch, unfortunately looking like she did for so many years, now however, with malice expression locked on her face.'

Dr. Malkin then closed the case book and slumped into his chair, not knowing what to do now.

* * *

"Is that what really happened?!" gasped Nurse P to Nurse D while walking down the hall of the juvenile ward.

"I'm afraid it is, she's been in her cell for about 30 minutes now."

"Oh, my God...my God..." said Nurse P very sadly, her hands over her lips, "and she was doing so well."

Nurse D didn't say anything.

"I-I also heard that you found Dr. Barr shortly afterwards," said Nurse P, "near by?"

"Yes, we..."

"Shhhhh..." said Nurse M to the two as she walked by, "you'll wake the patients, it's bad enough with the rain and lightning."

"Sorry," said Nurse D, "but I'm on my way to check up on Alice."

"Just a brief moment, and nothing more." she said and walked down the hall away from them. Nurse P had to go check on another patient as well so she too said goodnight and soon it was just Nurse D walking down the hall, her shoes clicking loudly on the tile. In her hands were the keys to the cell door and the toy rabbit that Alice left behind. Nurse D first opened the eye slots to see if Alice was still in bed, which she was. she then closed the eye slot and opened the door and entered the room. She silently approached the grim girl and looked at her. The doctors and orderlies didn't even bother taking off her dress or her shoes when they placed her in bed, they thought just getting her to it as quickly as possible so she could rest. her arms still lay in the position that the doctor had them as he stitched up her cuts and placed the gauze over them. Nurse D then looked over at the girls face and notice how similar yet different it was to all those years in a catatonic state. A pale, dead-pan face, but with the hit of deep rage. Nurse D shook her head.

"Poor dear, after all these years...", she said sadly, placing the rabbit on her left arm close to her body; she turned to the door and as she was about to close it she looked back, "maybe that old rabbit will bring her around." and with that she closed the door and locked it behind her. Unknown to her, however, Alice wasn't 'out' at all. She was perfectly awake and aware, but something had changed her, something that was bothering her. She didn't want to think anymore so she hoped that sleep would soon take her, but a small part of her wanted comfort as well, so she started to hug her toy, trying not to move her sore wrist. As she hugged the toy she looked down at it, and at that moment, the toy looked back and gently grabbed her arm and whispered:

"Save us, Alice."

* * *

**Yay! We're finally getting to Wonderland! We're finally getting to Wonderland! **

**BUT WAIT!!**

**Ok, I can't take full credit for this chapter. Many months ago, Deamonabyss asked if he could see Dr. Barr and the Jabberwocky GET IT ON!...ew...no, not really. He wanted to see the two characters interact...so...there ya go... **

**Now, I bet you guys are dying to know what happened to Barr, but now I'm giving you guys a choice...because I think you'll kill me if I don't...but in my original idea of the story, we find out what happens to Barr in the EPILOG** **of the story...which is like...30 somethin' chapters...1,110,546,56.5/8 words away...probably a couple of years away...**_**SOOOO**_**...I'm giving you the choice:**

**Wait for it or find out in the next crap-tastic** **chapter! But what's this?...I feel the uncontrollable urge to be a total bitch rise within me! Mwah-ha-ha-ha!**

**Oh and thanks to my two latest reviewers! 'D4rK Sid3' and 'Edit Death'! YAY!**

**(1) Sigmund Freud was alive at this time but he wasn't a doctor at the time...so there! And I don't think I have to say who he was...**

**Welp, my time is up, till next update!**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**...I would say thanks but YOU SNUBBED SMEARDOLF!!**

**RUE!!**


	26. Back Down the Rabbit Hole

**Alright! Now we're cookin' with gas! Wonderland time baby! And you know what that means...It's time to get LAZY!! YAY!! ****But don't think that the story won't be original now...ok? Ok.**

* * *

**Chapter 24: Back Down the Rabbit Hole**

Loudly gasping and eye's bulged with fear, Alice grabbed the toy and threw it across the room as hard as she could toward the corner. The toy flew into the wall, rebounded off it and skipped on the ground before hitting the wall again where it finally sat on the ground in a tangled mess motionless. Alice, sitting up in bed and nearly hyperventilating, looked at the toy in utter disbelief. Suddenly the tanged bundle twitched and began to rise up. Alice gasped again and grabbed the metal railing of her headboard. The toy's movements were like if someone was playing with it as a puppet, as it's movements were very jerky and it's head bobbed around uncontrollably.

"I-I-It's...It's all...in my head...it's all in...my head" panted Alice between her cross of gasping and almost laughing as she watched the toy move about. The toy soon stood up and was now walking toward the bed like a toddler, arms reaching out.

"S-Stay back!" Shouted Alice, picking up the water pitcher off the night stand and threw it at the rabbit. Water flew out of the pitcher as it soared toward the toy, finally hitting it and then smashing into the wall, shattering everywhere. Alice, now actually hyperventilating and sweat pouring off her, stared at the toy that was motionless again, hoping that at least knocked it out.

"What was that?!" heard Alice from the orderly on the other side of the door.

"Open the door, quick!" Said Dr. Wilson sternly. Alice could hear them trying to open the door and for the first time ever she was happy that they were coming. The door flew open with Dr. Wilson and two orderlies running in. Dr. Wilson looked over at the broken water pitcher then looked over at the clearly frightened girl.

"It's alright Alice," he said calmly to her, "It's ok now, everything is going to be ok, just take it easy now." he said slowly approaching the bed. Alice frantically pointed over to the fallen toy and was trying to explain what had happened, but nothing came out right either because she was to frightened or overexcited or both at the same time. It came out only a frantic insane gibberish to Dr. Wilson.

"Shhh..." he said gently grabbing her raised arm and sitting on the bed next to her wrapping his other arm lovingly around her and patting her shoulder with his hand, "It's alright now...shhh." He looked at her bandaged wrist and saw dark patches forming in the gauze.

"Oh-oh, look what you've done," he said tenderly, "we'll fix it...shhh." he said gently to her then spoke to the orderlies without changing his tone of voice:

"One of you go fetch a suture tray and a broom and dustpan. Get a towel while you're at it please." One orderly obeyed and left the room while the other moved toward the corner where the rabbit lay still. He had worked with Alice previously and knew that the rabbit may calm her down, but as he picked it up and went to hand her the toy with a pleasant smile, Alice tried to wiggle free from Dr. Wilson's grip looking at the toy with total dread.

"No!," she yelled out, "Keep it away from me!"

Both Dr. Wilson and the orderly were completely shocked. This was the first time ever that she didn't want the toy. Dr. Wilson stood up and walked over to the orderly and took the toy from him, looking it over.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked Alice very kindly still looking at the toy.

"It...," started Alice, but then thought about it, "...oh, never mind, you wouldn't believe me anyway." she said folding her arms and looking away.

"You can still tell me," he said kindly moving away from the mess so the returned orderly could start cleaning up the mess, "I won't laugh."

"Out loud, that is." mumbled Alice.

"Just try me." he said placing his hands on his hips, still holding the toy as it dangled in his hand. Alice looked up at him, she thought that he would still laugh at her, but decided to change her mind.

"It moved." she said.

"How?"

"I was in bed when it grabbed my arm and..." she said looking down and away from him.

"Go on..." he gently told her, seeing the embarrassment in her eyes.

"...It talked."

"What did it say? Alice," he said looking at her seriously, "what did it say to you?" Alice remained quiet and shook her head. Dr. Wilson nodded his head, understanding her. He then said:

"I think that you were probably just having a bad dream. And just simply carried out..." he continued on as Alice looked at him, but she stopped listening when she saw the toy look up at her. The toy then looked up at Dr. Wilson and reached into his coat pocket, looking for something. As he moved his arm away, she saw that the toy was holding a key with it's two 'hands'. Alice wasn't going let something steal from Dr. Wilson, be it man or inanimate object that was now animate; with out thinking, she grabbed the bowl full of water that they had used to wash her arms with earlier and threw it at the toy. The bowl missed it's target, however, and hit Dr. Wilson's hand instead, causing him to drop the toy. He grabbed his hand and took two steps back looking very surprised.

"Hold her." he said to the orderlies. The orderlies did as told and grabbed her arms tightly.

"I'm sorry," she said woefully to him, "but the rabbit was..."

"It's OK Alice," he said to her calmly, "I know you didn't mean to. Perkins," he called out to another orderly in the hall, "fetch the leather bed restraints. Be quick about it lad." Alice huffed out of frustration, but it was too late now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Soon the three orderlies had the girl tethered down to where she couldn't even shift her body in the slightest.

"Wouldn't it be easier to give her a shot?" asked one orderly.

"She's already had enough sedatives tonight, apparently she's so riled up her body's adrenalin is counteracting it." He said as he was re-stitching her slitted wrists. When he was done doing that he motioned the orderlies to leave. As he too was leaving, he turned to Alice before closing the door:

"I know you're having a bad night, and I hope you will have pleasant dreams instead of nightmares." and he closed the door and went to lock it but Alice heard:

"Where's that master key of mine? I know it was here in my pocket..."

"I have a spare key sir." said one orderly and locked the door with it.

Alice could hear them continue talking, but she didn't listen to them as she looked and listened as best as she could for any unusual sounds. She could hear nothing at first but then she thought that she could hear pattering of some sort, then she felt something tugging at her blanket near her upper body. She was still frightened but decided to ignore it and turned her head away from it. Then the tugging stopped. She slowly looked over to where the tugging had been, still listening for anything. Suddenly, she felt the straps that where holding down her chest loosen and heard the belt head of the strap fall to the floor. Alice sat up after this and wiggled herself free from the straps and mustering what was left of her courage, looked down at the side of the bed, laying on her stomach; lowered herself down to near floor level and lifted the blanket up to peak underneath the bed. There was nothing underneath the bed. She then heard a click and the door groan. She looked over her left shoulder to see her cell door open with a key in the keyhole. She stood up and trotted over to the door and took out the key.

"Dr. Wilson's key..." she said quietly to herself. She slowly poked her head out the door and looked around and saw the toy running like a toddler down the hall then round the corner to another. Alice, now more curious than frightened, slowly left the room then trotted as quietly as she could down the hall after it. When she came to the corner and looked around, she saw something that made her gasp under her breath. Halfway down the hall, there stood a rabbit, a real rabbit, wearing a dark red tailcoat, bright yellow vest, spats, grey gloves and a top hat. The curious creature stood on two legs; reached inside it's coat and pulled out a large pocket watch, looking at it while it adjusted it's hat. Alice knew who and what this creature was, but she barely recognized it. The Rabbit she knew was rather fat, fluffy and well kempt, this strange thing was emaciated, thin furred and slightly sordid. The Rabbit looked up at her, placed the watch back into his pocket and ran on all fours down the hall very quickly.

"Wait!" called out Alice, forgetting where she was, running after the thing. The Rabbit paid no mind to her calls and continued down the hall and rounded into a open room. Alice reached the door and looked into it, seeing it was a lavatory. Alice looked around for the rabbit but didn't see it anywhere...she looked in the corners and even checked the toilet to see if it was there. But the rabbit had gone, leaving Alice scratching her head.

"Where is that rabbit?" She said out loud while looked around once more and evantually looked at the mirror above the sink. She stepped closer to it and decided to try something, she reached up and placed her hands on the mirror. It felt cool to the touch and felt like an ordinary to her, but she still decided to try it and pushed on the mirror. The mirror made crackling sounds but it warped like a stiff sheet under her hand. She decided to go with it and try to go through the mirror. She put her right knee on the sink and then lifted herself up and placed her left knee on the sink and placed both hands on the mirror and pushed as hard as she could. The mirror warped but refused to let her through. She continued pushing at the stubborn thing, then suddenly she felt no resistance at all and fell forward and on her face in the dirt. Alice groaned and sat up and rubbed her sore nose and face and looked back. Behind herself was a old mirror that had been stored in the garden shed outside the asylum. Alice stood up and headed for the ajar door of the shed and looked out. Running across the open field was the rabbit toward the woods nearby. Alice rushed out and gave chase calling out to the rabbit, but still received no answer. Eventually the rabbit reached a large gnarled old tree with a large knothole near the base of it. The rabbit, not slowing down, jumped into the knothole and disappeared.

Alice ran up to the tree, bent over and looked into the hole, but saw nothing. The hole was indeed a large one for the rabbit, but a tight squeeze for her. She edged toward the hole and stuck her head through it and her right arm, but she had to wiggle herself to get her left arm through. Losing what little light she had from the lighting (it was still raining), she couldn't see anything, so she waved her arms around to feel the side or bottom of the tree but felt noting. She decided to enter the tree fully and placed her hands at her sides and pulled, but her hips were wider than her head and that's where she got stuck. She kicked and pulled as hard as she could to fit through the knothole, eventually she succeeded very suddenly and somersaulted forward and fell, and fell and fell some more. Alice screamed, thinking that this was probably the end of her. She looked down and could see the approaching ground and landed with a hard thud and grunt on a not-so-soft plie of leaves. This jarred her and she laid there looking up a the darkness that she fell from, breathing hard.

"Please don't dawdle, Alice," said familiar voice in front of her, she sat up and looked at the now very large Rabbit, "We're very late indeed!" The rabbit then turned and ran down the cave tunnel (as Alice assumed it was) and out of sight. Alice tried her best to stand up, but the fall had hurt her and her back now ached and her legs felt wobbly. She leaned on the cave wall for some stability and looked down at her feet. As she did so she noticed that all of her cuts on her arms were gone, including from the mirror episode. she looked at her upper arms and saw that the large bruises that she worked on for the two days were also gone. This was rather fascinating for her but she still had that rabbit to catch. She pushed herself off the wall and followed the rabbit down the cave and onto a wooden floor. She looked around and guessed from her surroundings that she was in a mine of some sort, although she had never actually been in a mine before. She followed the wooden path for sometime, passing lamps and support beams and even other paths, but not finding the rabbit or her way out. Finally she found what appeared to be a person, a short person but a person none the less.

The man was only about hip high to herself, and was dis-proportioned to a regular person, as his head was very large same with his hands and feet, had a small torso with long arms and short legs. He was a curiosity to herself, never seeing someone like that. He seemed very tired and hungry but did not stop pushing a mine cart full of some sort of glowing rock, as Alice guessed. She also wondered about the strange object he had strapped to his back that emitted a bright glow. She decided to approach him and ask him if he happened to see the rabbit pass by.

"Pardon me, sir. But I need to ask..." She started but as soon as he saw her, his eyes bulged and he gasped and looked down quickly and pushed the cart as quickly as he could away from her.

"Well, that was rude," said Alice looking at where he had disappeared to, "but I suppose he hasn't seen anything like me before either. I'll just find someone who will talk to me." So Alice continued through the mines but every time she came to a worker, they either did their best to ignore her or run away from her. At first Alice took offence of this but she did notice a pattern: they were all frightened of her or at least to talk to her. Alice finally had enough of that and decided that the next one would talk to her, one way or another. She spotted someone walking around with yet another of those weird glowing orbs on his back, looking very tired and downtrodden. She marched up to him and got the same reaction as before, but this time she bent down and grabbed his arm and said:

"Look, I need to ask you to answer some questions," she said very sternly, "first of all, where am I?" The man looked up at the girl very frightened, and tried his best to free himself, but he was just too tired to succeed, he finally stopped squirming and stuttered out:

"Y-Y-Yur Mines."

"I would certainly say that I'm not yours!" said Alice offended.

"No...y-u-r mines, Yur Mines. You are in Yur Mines."

"Oh...," said Alice looking away, "What are you exactly?"

"A gnome." said the gnome quite frankly.

"Figures..., what about..." she started to say but the gnome suddenly started to squirm again, very frightened at the thought of something.

"Please," pleaded the gnome, "I can't stay still for much longer, she'll know!"

"Who," asked Alice, "who will know?"

"I've said to much," said the gnome freeing himself and running away, "I've said to much!" Alice watched the gnome run off, leaving her standing there very confused.

"Odds are the next gnome will know something of value," said a sly voice behind Alice, "That last idiot was nearly useless." Alice turned around and saw a floating grin near the far corner of the room and knew what it was and patently waited for the rest of the cat to appear. The cat finally did and Alice was rather surprised at his appearance. The cat she remembered was nothing like the one that appeared in front of her. The beast was more emaciated that the rabbit as all his rib bones were clearly visible and his joints looked like large knots on rope. The cat's body was dingy and clearly mange ridden as some parts of it's body was bald and showed flaky, irritated skin. The cats' tail thrashed around as if the beast was constantly irritated with something, but not directed at the girl. The cat smiled at the girl, but the smile faded as it looked her over to a small smirk with narrowed eyes. Perhaps he was judging the girl as she was him. However the smile came back and he walked quite casually up to her.

"You've gone quite mangy, Cat," she said trying her best to put it nicely, "but your grin's a comfort."

"And you've picked up a bit of an attitude," he said to her with a bit of annoyance and a smirk, "Still curious, and willing to learn, I hope." he said with a smile.

"Can you answer my question?" she asked the cat hopefully.

"That depends whether you except the answer or not." said the cat quite plainly. Alice nodded and asked,

"Have you seen a rabbit run about?" The cat smiled and with a wave of it's paw pointed down one path of the mines. Alice nodded at the cat in thanks and ran toward that path and soon enough came to another gnome. The gnome was very tired as well and stopped to catch his breath. He looked up at the approaching girl and whether if he was to tired or if he just didn't care anymore, he did not show any fear toward her.

"Why does everyone here seem hostile? Or demented for that matter?" she asked him. The gnome looked down at his feet and said in a deep voice:

"Our land is destroyed," said the gnome very sad, "our spirit crushed. We have no hope left, and we simply wait for the inevitable."

"Reminds me of the asylum," said Alice looking away and just to herself, then looked back a the gnome, "Is there no joy here?"

"Slavery and happiness do not dwell in the same house." said the gnome and simply walked away from her, clearly done with taking. Alice watched on as the gnome wandered away. She could hear something approach her from her side, she turned to see the cat had reappeared with a smile.

"Things are not as they once were," said the cat to her, "time has a odd way of changing things for the better or for the worse and in this case, it can't get much worse than total destruction."

"What do you mean?" asked Alice.

"The Queen of Hearts has taken the land and enslaved it's inhabitants for her own pleasure. What was is now gone and in it's place is nothing but repugnance and fear."

"How?"

"The matter at hand is not how the creature seized power," said the cat with annoyance at the girl, "but how to dethrone it."

"I suppose, but what do you expect me to do about it," said Alice angrily, "I'm only one girl." The cat said nothing but looked down a tunnel with a air of either more annoyance at the girl or sadness, she couldn't tell, but she decided to ask another question for the cat.

"Wonderland's become quite strange. How is one to find her way?"

"As knowing where you're going is preferable to being lost, ask." said the cat looking back at her and saying it as if was a simple question, "Rabbit knows a thing or two. And I, myself, don't need a weathervane to tell which way the wind blows." he said to the girl. "Let your need guide your behavior. Suppress your instinct to lead. Pursue Rabbit." he said vanishing, leaving only his grin for a moment then that too faded away. Alice took the cat's advice and continued her way through the mines and eventually found another gnome taking a breather from his work. Alice approached the gnome and without really thinking about his feelings she said:

"You shouldn't have to work like this," she said almost mad at the gnome himself, "you should be able to sneak a break in or two." The gnome looked up at her and shook is head:

"Stir up no trouble, stranger," he said not wanting anything to do with what Alice was hinting at, "The Red Queen's agents are ruthless."

"I'm not afraid of her, or her creatures. Never was, really," she said looking at nails and looking very confident, "You should stand up to them." The gnome scoffed at her arrogance and words.

"Defiance is useless. While the Queen reigns, only death can release us from this misery."

"Or her death, I suppose." The gnomes eyes widened with the last remark and shushed her, looking around.

"Do you want to get yourself beheaded?! The Queen's agents are everywhere and anywhere at all times! Best keep that pretty mouth of your shut girl, or you'll find yourself on the wrong side of the axe." The cat reappeared at the side of the girl, looking up at her.

"Ignore the Queen . . . for now. Keep your eye on Rabbit." Alice folded her arms and looked at the cat until it disappeared, then at the gnome,

"Anyway, have you seen a rabbit about?"

"Ran up to the mine village a few moments ago, he did," said the gnome, "best go there; perhaps you'll find some more advice from others. Just follow the signs and you'll find it sure enough." Alice gave her thanks and followed the gnomes advise and made her way to the village. Along the way, she had a chance to silently look around at the mine and all the strange sights. Every now and again she would see another gnome here or there and every time she passed one, they would look at her with the air of curiosity and almost silent pity, towards her or themselves she didn't know. Eventually Alice found the small village of where it looked as if the gnomes had originally lived in before the upheaval of the Queen, but it now looked as no care had gone into it for some time. Alice looked around at the buildings, then looked down at the dusty wooden gangplanks and saw large rabbit tracks on them. Alice smiled at this and followed the tracks, but as she did, she saw the tracks get smaller and smaller and soon they were so small, she had a hard time seeing them. Eventually, she stopped and looked up and saw a small door no larger than three inches high in the side of the mine's wall. Alice approached the small door and kneeled by it and carefully opened the door to look at the other side, but there was nothing but darkness on it. She reached out to see if she could even put her hand thru the door but even her hand was too large for the door.

"Rabbit's handy with a map;" said the cat reappearing behind the girl, "he's on the right road. And at present, you're far too big to follow." Alice, still on her knees looked over at the cat then looked around at the village, not knowing what to do next. She finally sighed and said while sitting down and placing her elbows on her knees and placing her head in her hands,

"Well, now what?" The cat quietly looked at the girl, waiting patiently for her to take action. Finally after a few minutes of sulking and thinking on how to follow the rabbit, she looked around, stood up and dusted herself off while saying:

"Well then, perhaps I'll just look around a bit." The cat smirked at her slyly and quietly faded away. Alice looked back toward the cat but seeing that it was gone, she looked around to see if there was someone else to talk too. Afer walking around the mine village for awhile, she decided that she did not care for the unchanging musty smell of the mines. However as she continued on, the smell was soon covered by something much fowler than the musty dusty smell. She turned down a corridor and came into a larger part of the village and was the source of the new sharp smell. There was a underground river and small lake, what the gnomes had used as their water source in the past, but now it was completely deadly thanks to pipes pumping toxic slug into it. Alice looked down at the murky water and crouched down near the edge of the wooden walkway, contemplating whether to touch it or not. As she did this, she could hear someone or something walking around the nearby platform above her. She looked up toward the sound then looked for a way up to the platform. She found a nearby ladder and climbed up the old thing, hoping it wouldn't break under her weight. She peeked over the edge of the platform when she reached it and saw another older gnome, about in his forties, working she supposed. She lifted herself up on the platform and walked over to the gnome, adjusting her pinny and straitening her hair with her hands.

"Everyone seems completely dejected. Are things really as bad as all that?" she said politely, still walking up to the gnome. The gnome looked up at the girl with obvious annoyance in his face, but looking at her his face softened and he took the moment to wipe sweat off his forehead.

"The truth would reduce you to a blubbering baby...," he paused and looked the girl over, "Are you the savior Rabbit has been telling us about all this time?" Alice was taken back at the last remark.

"I shouldn't think so. I'm a person...," she said looking away from the gnome with from embarrassment, "and just now I wish to get very small... about this big." she show the gnome with her fingers. The gnome looked at her oddly then looked thoughtful away from her.

"Calls for serious twisting. You'll need to go sideways, not forward. If I knew how, I'd go sideways myself."

"Not twisted. Small," she corrected, "I wish to become about this big." she re-showed the gnome. The gnome looked at the girl as if he did not want to mention it, he looked toward a hall cautiously, then placing his hand by his mouth and whispered to her:

"The Fortress of Doors holds such secrets," he said to her as she lowered herself to hear him better, "but it will take more than a wish to get inside."

"Like what?" she whispered back to him. The gnome looked more frightened and jumpy at her question as he quickly looked back toward the hall and back a again at the girl, as if he dared not to answer her.

"And...why are we whispering?" she asked. The gnome went to answer her, but then his face went pale and his contorted into total fear. He gasped and started to shake as he looked back toward the hall, hearing someone approaching.

"T-T-That is why."

* * *

**Yep...I was a jerk and decided to keep Barr's fate until the end of the story...as it was MEANT TO BE!! hehehehe...that's right...squirm you jerks...SQUIRM!**

**So anyway, now we have a new change of pace, new rules and new characters. We may revisit some in flashbacks and what not, but say good-bye** **to the medical staff at Rutledges, for we may not hear from them in a long, long time. **

**I don't think I need to point out where I've gotten lazy...anyone who's played the game or even seen it on Youtube knows what I've done in this chapter...and I ain't changing it baby! Again I can't stress it enough, even though I've gone and gotten myself a crutch, the story will stay (or will attempt to) on the path of originality. I hope I haven't made anyone mad at what I'm doing...and if you are...tough cheese.**

**Read and Review if you like...or don't...and make me feel sad...and make me wonder who the heck is reading my story...without wiping their feet...and I think I need a cookie...**

**Anyway, thank you guys for sticking with me this far with this story full of plot holes and misspellings, and I hope to continue to keep your interest.**


	27. Deepest Pit of the Mines

**Chapter...25...done...good... Me...now...go...sleep...hrm...**

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**Chapter 25: The Deepest Pit of the Mines.**

Alice looked up to where the gnome was gaping with fear, trying to see what it was. It's common knowledge that gnomes have much better hearing than humans, so of course she had no idea who or what was coming, but the gnome did. The gnome trembled and stammered as he looked toward back and forth to the hall and then back at the girl, deciding on what to do. Finally, looking mad at her and at himself, he ran up to her and started to push her toward a dark small space between two buildings.

"Quick," he said quickly and quietly, "hide in here and don't move or make a sound if you value your life!" Alice was surprised but thought it best to obey the gnome as he was so upset. It was a tight squeeze, but Alice managed to fit inside the gap, and to her luck she thought, she could still see a bit without being seen by the approaching whatever. The gnome quickly ran back toward to where he was working and tried his best to look nonchalant, but was obviously very nervous. After a few seconds, Alice could finally hear what was approaching. She could hear footsteps, metal clanking and low growling. Suddenly, a club card guard came 'round the hall corner and stood at the entrance, but he looked like nothing Alice remembered. The card, like last time, was flat; as tall as herself and relatively stupid looking, but this cards looked cross and almost well trained for combat. The card looked around, spotting the gnome quickly working as silently and as timidly as possible. The card scowled at the gnome, tightened his grip on his spear and marched toward the gnome.

"You there," called out the guard, "who were you talking to?!" The gnome looked up at the card guard with large eyes; hands quivering as he nervously rubbed them together.

"N-No one sir," said the gnome, his eyes darting around the guard's body, especially at the spear, "I-I-I've b-been just-just working sir. No one has b-been here...sir." The card looked down at the gnome, his eyes narrowed at the gnome. He knew that this wasn't the normal timid behavior of gnomes, the gnome was lying about something.

"Then what was all that talking I heard," said the card lowering himself to the gnome, "about the Fortress of Doors?" The gnome went pale (which was a trick, considering he already was) and he swallowed hard.

"I-I...I can't say...sir." The card stood back up and gripped his spear all the tighter.

"I'll ask again, who were you talking too? Talk," he said pointing the spear at the gnomes stomach and sharply jabbing him, causing a two inch gash that was about half an inch deep that instantly began to bleed, "or I'll spill your guts and make you clean them up again." Alice saw all that she could stand, she usually was the kind of person that would stand up for others as she would for herself, and because of this kind nature, she boldly (or stupidly, however you wish to look at it) stepped out of her hiding spot and marched toward the card.

"Here now, you can't talk to him like that, let alone jab at him in that fashion." Both gnome and card looked at the girl. The gnome, with one hand covering his wound, and his other slapped his forehead in disbelief at her stupidity, groaned and rolled his eyes. The card had a different reaction, however. The card looked at her with almost total surprise, as if he had never seen anything like her before. But this look faded quickly and he scowled at her as he did the gnome.

"Who are you?" demanded the card.

"Alice," she said wile moving her hair behind her ear, "and all I asked him was..." but she didn't have the chance to finish, for the card guard took up his spear and swung it at her. Alice reacted just in time to barely dodge a fatale wound from the spearhead, but not quick enough to get her arm out of the way. She jumped back and grabbed her arm. She quickly looked at the cut, nothing major but she was more surprised at the cards behavior than the pain. She clenched her arm again and quickly looked back up at the approaching card, frightened and not knowing what to do. She backed slowly away from the card, forgetting that she was on a platform and was quickly approaching the edge. The card jabbed at her again, causing her to jump sideways and back away toward the right edge now. She was trying her best to think of a way to get out of this situation, but the card guard took full charge at her, ready to end the fight. She thought herself lost, but by dumb luck her heal got caught in a knothole, causing her to fall backward at the same time the card lunged at her; because of this freak accident, the card threw himself off the platform and into the green toxic ooze. Alice looked down from the edge on her side, her heal still stuck in the hole, wondering when he would resurface, but when he did, she wished he hadn't. The card's flesh was melting and falling off his bones and the chunks of flesh bubbled and boiled in the ooze like frying oil. The card shrieked in pain and agony for only a few moments before it turned into noting more than gurgling of blood and ooze and with that, the card sank down to the bottom leaving brown swirls in his wake.

Alice tried her best not to smell the burnt flesh mixed with the already fowl smell of the ooze, but it had already found it's way into her sinuses, making her gag. She covered her nose and turned her head away from the sight.

"I wouldn't like to swim in that ooze." she said wile looking around to find that the gnome had run off, and that right now was just fine with her. she went to stand up but her heal was firmly stuck in the knothole. she tried wiggling her leg and pulling up with her leg and even pulling her foot up with her hands, but it was still stuck firm. She finally stood up and pulled up on her leg and with a jolt, the heal broke off the boot and she stumbled forward. She looked back at the heal that was still stuck in the hole and huffed.

"If _that _is how you plan on defending yourself, then you'll never live past sundown." said the Cheshire cat appearing behind her. She ignored the cat and walked over to the heal.

"Oh, my heal broke off," she wined to the cat, "how shall I ever be able to fix it here?" she said while kneeling down and attempting to pull it out of the hole. With a quick pull, she pulled it out with a pop that caused her to fall flat on her rear. She sadly looked at the heal and placed it in her apron pocket, only then did she look back at the cat. The cat was lying down, resting it's head on it's crossed paws, looking at her as if he was very disappointed; his grin almost looking sad. Alice looked at the cat.

"Why do you look at me like that cat," she asked, "It's not like I...I mean I didn't...you...you're suggesting that I..."

"That card did himself in." said the cat with unchanging gaze.

"Then why the look, It's not like I caused all this; I can't change what's happened here. I can't..." she stopped talking because of the look the cat gave her, she could almost feel the disappointment in his eyes. She sighed, looked at the cat.

"But...I don't see why you think I can change this, I mean...I wouldn't even know where to begin." The cat seemed to regain some of it's old ways, and with a twinkle in it's eyes and it's grin fully reappearing:

"Every adventure requires a first step. Trite, but true, even here." and with that the cat slowly faded away, all but it's eyes, as if it wanted to see her leave. Alice looked at the floating pair of eyes and then decided it best to continue forward, as there wasn't much point on going back. The eyes watched her walk (with some difficulty, now that her heal was gone) toward where the card had come from and as she rounded the corner, only then did the eyes fade away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The gnome was losing his breath, to be fair he was tired before he started running and he was bleeding quite badly now, but he had to stop and try to catch it for a second. The gnome looked back to see if he was being followed. He heard nothing and started his way forward agin when he bumped in to something, then the something grabbed him by the arm. The gnome looked up to see a angry diamond card glaring down at him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alice continued her way deeper into the mines, hating the fact that her boot was broken, considering how new they were and all. She was also wondering, about how much had changed from her last trip. Last time as she remembered, the card were made of cardboard **(1)**, and now they were flesh? And how if the green ooze dissolves flesh like that, then why not the surrounding wooden support beams. She was also a little disturbed, of not more or less what had happened to the card, but how she almost felt indifferent about it. She was deep in thought of all this, hardly even looking where she was going, when she bumped into something.

"Hey-hey..." said a younger gnome with a Irish accent, "watch where you're going you." He looked up at the girl more excepting her than the other gnomes had.

"I beg your pardon," she said politely with a small curtsy, "I was in too deep of thought to look where I was going."

"Thinking about what?" asked the gnome, happy for the break.

"About the club card that fell down into that disgusting ooze." she said wile pointing down at the ooze river beneath their feet. The gnome looked down and then looked back up a the girl.

"Oh, did he now?!" said the gnome with a small smile, "And how did he manage to do that?" he said raising his eye brows and giving her a look.

"Well, I didn't push him in if that's what you're thinking of!" she said defensively. The gnome simply nodded, not really believing her.

"You know, Rabbit told us a champion would come. Are you that champion?"

"Perhaps," she said with annoyance, then she decided to ask him, "Can you get me inside the Fortress of Doors?"

"Oh no. Wouldn't dare." said the gnome honestly, "Since the upheaval we've all become gutless half-wits. I can barely risk crossing the road...But," he said with a sly look in his eye, "make your way to the mines--the deepest pit--there's one wiser and braver than myself who might help. He still lives free."

"Who?"

"The Elder Gnome," said the youth, "he was once the mayor of the town before the enslavement, but ask him more..." he said turning away from her, "I've got to go back to work, but go that way, and you should find him." Alice thanked the gnome and continued her way into the mines.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alice didn't know how long she had been wandering the mines, she figured about an hour or so. But one was for sure, she was very tired of her broken shoe, but didn't dare take off her boots because of the sharp rocks. As she waked and squeezed her way through the corridors, she quietly looked around for this gnome, and was becoming more agitated in finding noting but more gangplanks and tunnels. Soon enough, she came upon a large open area that was part of the old village. She looked around and could see old stores and other business buildings scattered about that were converted into storage huts or just abandoned altogether. Ropes from old scaffoldings used to keep the roof supports of the cave intact dangled here and there throughout the village, showing how long it had been since anyone took care of this place. Alice approached the edge of the platform to see if there was a way to the other side, but it had apparently been demolished years ago. Alice looked about her, looking for another way, but she didn't see anything of use to her. Finally, losing her temper, she sat on the edge of the platform and crossed her arms, giving up... throwing a bit of a tantrum. The cat once again appeared, this time sitting on an old chimney, looking down at the girl. Alice knew he was there but she didn't look up at or acknowledge the fact that he was there. She just didn't feel like talking to him at the moment. The cat however, patiently waited for the girl to finish her tantrum, and after staring quietly at her for several minutes, she finally glared up at him.

"Are you going to just pout there, or are you going to go on?" asked the cat.

"And how..." said Alice angerly, "do you suppose I 'go on'? There are no paths that lead down there," she pointed to the platform she needed to go to, "and there are clearly no stepladders to it, so what do you want me to do?"

"Hanging ropes are as good as step ladders to those who know how to use them." said the cat. Alice looked at him with a bit of surprise, then looked at the closest rope to her, which was a good jumping distance away.

"How do you expect me to reach that?" she asked the cat with thick annoyance.

"...Jump?" said the cat mocking her tone of voice and expression. Alice didn't like that, but she did think about it for a moment and decided that there wasn't much else to do. She stood back up and walked toward the rope and looked at it for a moment, then looked down at the poisoned water, knowing what would happen if she missed. She looked at the rope again and then looking back at the cat said:

"What if I don't make the jump...or suppose I make the jump but can't hold onto the rope?"

"Well, I'm not sure on that," said the cat, "but we'll both find out as soon as you try." Alice looked back at the rope with self doubt. She bent down to make the jump, but then paused and thought about it again. She then decided that a running jump would be best, so she back up and found a comfortable staring spot. She ran toward the edge but half-way lost her nerve and halted, thinking that perhaps she was right in the first place and walked back toward the edge. The cat quietly watched the girl attempt one way and then another. Walking back and forth, changing running distances and just looking like a total jackass. The cat was amused by this, but he was starting to run out of patience as his tail showed. Finally, Alice decided that yes, a running start would be best and found a good spot to do so. She looked at the rope and ran for it, jumped at the edge of the platform trying not to think of what would happen if she did miss, and grabbed for the rope. She felt her weight in her arms as she first swung on the rope, and out of reaction, clutched the rope tighter and wrapped her legs around it as well for more support and with her eyes closed...just hung there. The cat was surprised that she did make the jump and was able to keep hold of the rope...but he was more surprised on how she just hung there.

"Scythes, hips, and the hangman's noose all do it. Why not you?" asked the cat. Alice finally opened her eyes and looked down, wishing she hadn't. She closed them again and pleaded with the cat:

"I can't...I'll fall if I do!"

"You've managed to do well enough as of now." Alice opened her eyes again and decided to try it, as her arms were getting tired. She let the rope go with her legs and left them to dangle with her and tried swinging them as if she was on a swing. Eventually to her delight, the rope swung and soon she had a fairly decent rhythm going. But then she took a moment to thing and looked down at the plat form where she needed to go and realized that it was quite far down below her.

"What now..."she asked the cat again..."do I jump dow..." but the cat had already vanished and left her alone. She wished he hadn't, but she did know the answer after all. She looked back down at the plat form and after a few more swings she let go of the rope and hoped her legs wouldn't break. She landed with a thud and a grunt and was surprised that she kept her balance and it didn't hurt...that much. She stood back up and looked back to the rope and saw that she wasn't all that high up on the rope. She shrugged it off and decided to continue on her way to find the old gnome.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After another half-hour of walking around the mines, (Alice was rather now frustrated on how deep this mine was) she decided to take a break and found a rock to sit on next to a old mine lamp. She sat there rubbing her tired eyes and feet, wondering even if this old gnome was still alive. She stretched her back and leaned her head back on the wall of the tunnel and closed her eyes. But after a moment, she could hear something shifting in the distance. She kept her eyes closed but listened harder; thanks to the tunnels walls, all sounds were amplified, making it easier to hear. She heard the shuffling sound again and opened her eyes toward it and saw an old gnome looking at her from the distance, but as soon as she looked at him, took off. She jumped to her feet and ran where he had been standing. She looked down the tunnel and was very surprised at the gnomes speed, considering his age.

"Wait!" She yelled out to him, thinking she had just startled him. But the gnome kept running down tunnels and did his best to lose her. She was faster than the old gnome, but he was smaller than her and he used that fact to his advantage, taking the smaller tunnels, forcing her to either duck down or even crawl to continue on. Eventually, they came to another open area that was another part of the old town, and Alice wanting to end the chase, took this advantage and sprinted as fast as she could at the gnome and without considering his age, tackled him down to the ground. Both landed on the wooden ground with a thud and both laid there wheezing and panting, too tired to go on. Alice sat up and was still panting, but the old gnome still laid on the ground, clearly having difficulty breathing. Alice now felt worried for him, thinking she had hurt him. However, after coughing and sputtering, the old gnome sat up and looked at the girl and said to her between gasps of air:

"Why do you pursue me to this deserted place...?"

"To benefit from your wisdom." she said standing up and helping the old gnome up as well. She took the moment too look a the old gnome over. He was clearly old, there was no denying that, but he seemed older than his time. His beard was white, except where his nose was, that part was a strange yellowish brown, due to his smoking. He was also the only gnome that she had met that didn't have one of those odd spheres strapped to his back, so he stood more erect than the rest, but still hunched over most likely due to his age. The gnome looked up at her as she helped him up and said to her:

"Even blurred vision is valued by the blind. If I were clever, would I cower in this slag heap..." said to her waving his hand around, "I'm not wise girl... I've just grown old." he said sadly.

"Age doesn't bring wisdom?" asked Alice. The old gnome laughed.

"I know many that lived longer than they deserved and were no smarter than a pile of manure." Alice thought about this for a moment, but then remembered why she was looking for this gnome in the first place.

"Excuse me sir, but I am after a rabbit," she said politely, "and I wish to get very small. No bigger than a mouse. Do you know how I might do that?"

"Only that?" said the gnome surprised that she wasn't asking for something more... complicated, "Oh yes, I could manage that... for a price." he said thinking about something.

"I have nothing of value." she said sadly reaching into her pockets.

"You have nerve and your health," said the gnome, "that's more valuable than most things nowadays. Mine are nearly gone. I've seen too much suffering... and I smoke too much you see." he said to her showing his corn-cob pipe. Alice looked at the gnome and thought about what he said to her and she got the hint that he wanted her to run an errand for him.

"What must I do?" she asked him, expecting him to smile or something, but he rather became more grim and serious and said:

"In the Card Guards' compound a particularly rough Diamond holds the key. Retrieve it. I will... repay the favor."

"...A key to what?"

"Lets save that story for another time," said the gnome looking around, "but for now, I think it would be wise to leave this place before we attract unwanted attention."

"To where, another tunnel..." grumbled Alice.

"To my home," said the gnome walking toward another tunnel, "where I hide from the cards, there you can rest and perhaps have a bite to eat and while you do that," said the gnome looking back at the girl and at her feet, "I'll fix that boot of yours."

* * *

**(1)This is mentioned in the book...why did I make this reference...oh well...it's here...and you know what else...rhythm is a funny looking word...no I'm not high, I don't do drugs...I just think it's a funny looking word...that's all...why am I still typing...**

**Welp, there ya go... hope you guys liked it...**

**I see you there Xanthera, my new little victim, er-I-mean, reviewer. Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciated them. And do you know why the story stays in your head...well, that's because of the mind-control signal coming from your computer that activates whenever you open a chapter of my story, slowly reprogramming your subconscious to my whim and one day...er...forget what I just said...it's just half-assed writing...that's all...**

**Well, thanks again for reading! Review if you like!**


	28. Old Stories and New Shoes

Chapter 26: Old Stories and New Shoes

* * *

As the odd pair quietly made their way through the mines, Alice was silently losing what little patients she had left, she was just so sick of these stupid tunnels! She became more and more irritated whenever the old gnome would make her stop with a silent gesture and would look around quietly. After another agonizing hour of wondering in the mines, the old gnome stopped and said:

"Here we are." pointing to....another tunnel. This was all that the girl could stand, she glared at the gnome and almost yelled out:

"Another tunnel.....another tunnel to go through....how big is this cursed mines anyway?!"

"Actually," said the gnome looking back at her, "we where only about ten minutes away from here when we first meet...we've been backtracking and going around in circles for the last hour or so." Alice was ready to explode on hearing that.

"And....why on earth...DID WE DO THAT FOR?!" she yelled out at the top of her lungs. The gnome looked back at her; covered her mouth and looked behind her, listening, and after a moment said to her sounding rather angry:

"To make sure we lost anyone who may have been following us...and your tantrum may have alerted them to where we are...come on..." he said grabbing her wrist and leading her down a different tunnel than the one they were about to go into, "thanks to you, we have to try to lose them again. Another twenty minutes should do it."

"You old paranoid bat," said Alice, "how do you know we're even being followed?"

"Thirty minutes." said the gnome without looking up at her.

"Now you're just being an ass." said Alice.

"Do you want to make it forty?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After wandering the mines for another thirty minutes, they came upon the gnomes tunnel again and entered it. It was a long tunnel but Alice by now was far too tired to protest in the slightest. Eventually they came to what appeared to be the unfinished, blocked off end of the tunnel. Alice was now thinking that this old gnome was more senile than wise. After reaching the wall, the gnome looked around for something and after a moment grabbed a protruding rock in the wall and twisted it. As he twisted it, Alice could hear what sounded like gears and tumblers move behind the wall and just as she heard this, the blocked off end of the tunnel slowly swung inward and opened up like a door. Alice looked inside, expecting it to be another tunnel of some sort, but instead found a rather cozy looking room. The gnome walked inside and motioned her to follow him, as soon as she entered the gnome pulled a lever and the door closed again.

Alice looked around, it wasn't a very large 'home' but it had just enough things to mimic a respectable home. It had a small bed in a far corner, handmade shelves and cupboards adorned the walls with food and plates on them and a small stove in the middle to heat things up with. The old gnome went to his chair and sat down, banging his pipe against it to empty it. He then reached into his pocket pulling out a small bag of smoking tobacco, "There's a chair over there if you wish to sit down in.", he said to her. She looked over to the old battered lounge chair and sat slowly into it. It groaned from her weight and felt like it was about to break at any moment, but it was still a comfortable chair none the less. Alice watched the gnome light his pipe and smoke; nothing was said between the two for quite some time, save only a few grunts and the casual clearing of one's throat from the gnome. Finally Alice said:

"Well?" The gnome looked up at her.

" 'Well' what?"

"Weren't you going to tell me about some compound of some sort?" The gnome looked at her, then looked away from her, obviously trying to remember what she was talking about.

"Oh, yes," he said with a sad laugh, "pardon me, my age seems to have robbed me of my ability to remember simple things. Yes..." he said trailing away, taking another puff from the pipe, "the compound..."

Alice sat quietly waiting for him to say something else, but it seemed that the old gnome was lost within the memory, and had just forgotten to share it. Finally, running out of patients, Alice got up from the chair and rather than break the gnomes' concentration, looked around the small room. She opened cupboards and looked inside them and did other snooping activities that if her mother had lived to see this behavior from her, she would have received a good smack across the head. After several minutes of this poor behavior from Alice's part, even as going as far as to open the breadbox and taking a slice of bead out and buttering it up, the gnome finally said something, making her jump a little.

"Our suffering started ten years ago..." the gnome said not looking toward her. Startled by this, Alice causally sat down on his bed as if she meant the whole time just to do so, and quickly placed the slice of bread on his night stand. She folded her hands neatly in her lap and quietly listened to his tale:

"...not long ago, but seems like a lifetime. Our little mining community was essentially separate from the rest of the world, just simply depending upon itself. We provided rock and other raw materials such as minerals to others and in return received goods in return. Why I remember when our grocer had a hard run of luck when the bridge..." here, Alice stopped listening and took the slice of bread and took a bite out of it, and with her free hand rested her head on it. She quietly wondered to herself why was it when one was very old, that one seemed to jump from one subject to another; also wondering whether it was contagious or not. She quickly listened back to the old gnome again:

"...and after we had fished the little girls out of the well, we...."

'Still rambling.' she sighed to herself, taking another bite out of the bread, then a dreadful thought came into her head. What if this slice of bread had the same properties as that little cake in the hallway so many years ago? She swallowed hard and not wanting to find out, placed the slice back on the night stand to be left alone. She held her hands into her lap again and quietly looked at the floor.

"...what do you think, girl?" said the old gnome at her. She looked up at him with dread in her eyes.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"I asked, 'what do you think'?" Alice stared at him, not knowing what to say exactly, finally she said to him."

"I agree with you entirely...in the matter." The old gnome smiled at this and said to her:

"I knew you would see it my way, I told him that you just cannot possibley..." and Alice stopped listening to him again. Sighing very rudely, very loudly out almost trying to show him that he was annoying her. But he just kept on talking about nothing important to the current situation. She looked up at him and seeing him sitting in that chair that faced away from her and seeing him just talking there about nothing in particular, she saw that he looked happy. Almost all of the tired look in his eyes were gone, and a sparkle had returned to them as he sat there telling her of long gone better days. He quickly looked over at her and from the look he gave her, she knew that he knew she really wasn't listening, but he kept talking anyway, just happy to have someone to talk to. She saw this and resolved to listen to his stories, no matter how boring. She sat there and listened about his youth and about the community and learned that he had actually quite the interesting life. However, she missed most of what he had been talking about and was lost for most of it, after a good hour, he stopped and looked at here very gravely:

"Then the trouble started." Alice waited for him to say more, but he didn't.

"Is that all?" she asked a little confused.

"For now." he simply said, putting his pipe down.

"But....you haven't told me anything about..."

"That will come later, child," said the gnome, he sounded annoyed with her, "you must learn patients and in due time, things will become clear." Alice put her hands to her face and moaned, why must the creatures take so long to get to the point in this place.

"Let's see that boot of yours." said the gnome pointing to her feet. She looked down and remembered that yes, her boot was indeed broken, she untied both boots and took out the broken heel that she still had and handed the pair over to him. He took a good look at them and said to her.

"I'll work on these, why don't you get some sleep in and we'll talk in the morning. You can have my bed...I prefer this old chair anyway." Alice looked at him and then looked over the bed, it was small but it would be better than the chairs. She lied down at full length at first but the bed only went to her knees and finding that not ladylike to sleep like that, chose to sleep in a tight fettle position. She turned away from the gnome and faced the wall, looking at her shadow and then to her hands, thinking that maybe that this was just indeed a dream and maybe would wake up back at the asylum or better yet, home and drifted off to sleep while listening to the old gnome hammer away at her shoes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alice woke up to a pleasant smell in the air, then was meet with the realization how stiff she was. She sat up and stretched out with may satisfying pops from her back and shoulders. She rubbed her eyes trying to make them focus. She looked around and saw the gnome frying something on top of the old stove in the center of the room.

"So you're awake," he said gruffly, "about time too. I was ready to prod you with a stick to see if you had died in the middle of the night or not, of course your snoring did prove me wrong."

"I do not snore." she said sternly placing her hands on her hips.

"How do you know that girl?" said the gnome with a chuckle. Alice folded her arms, not truly knowing if she did or didn't, but still felt the same.

"Your boots are finished," said the gnome, waving a frying pan toward them, "they're over there." She looked over at them, and after picking them up, grimaced at them.

"Do you like them," said the gnome still not looking at her, "I fixed the heel and added those metal clasps to them. You don't have to bother lacing up your shoes now." Alice looked at the boots, not too happy with the new look, but as she herself couldn't possibly alter them herself, she sighed and put them on. Indeed the clasps did make it easier to put on the boots, but she would never admit that too him.

"Well," said the gnome handing her a plate, "eat this and wash up, we've a long way to go today."

Alice looked down at the meal; it looked like it couldn't decide if it was a stew or a solid meal. She took a bite out of it and decided that it was too spicy and wet for her taste and decided to just take a sip of tea, but pulled back at the drink finding it to be very thick black coffee. She quietly waited for him to finish his meal and as soon as he was done he washed up and grabbed a old sachet and motioned her to follow him. The old gnome had his hand on the leaver when he paused and looked at the girl.

"It would be wise for you to bring a weapon of some sort girl," he said looking her over, "It's not like we're going for a stroll at the park."

"I have nothing of the like." said Alice looking down at herself and back up at the gnome. He paused and thought about it for a moment. He walked past her and reached into a old cupboard and pulled out a old box and opened it up.

"This was given to me by a dear friend of mine many years ago," he said pulling out a rather long and beautiful knife, "it's no sword, but it's very sharp and should be useful to you." he said handing her the knife. She looked at the blade and saw how intricate the decorations in the blade were, as if it originally had another purpose in a previous life.

"Well come on then," said the gnome placing his hand back on the lever, "we must make our way to the Card Guard compound. We must be silent in the mines but when we get to a safe place, I'll tell you more about what you need to do."

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**Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..........SO sorry, sorry, sorry..........................sorry.**

**I know I haven't updated for like....ever....but I'll be done with school (for the moment) in May so I should be able to get back into swing with my stories.**

**I'd like to thank my new readers/subscribers and what not and will try to be more updateish.**

**Thanks for reading and sticking with me this long and have a nice day! Reviews are welcome, even suggestions...questions too.**


	29. The key

**Chapter 27: The key**

Walking quietly as they could, the two made their way thru the mines. While they did this, Alice took the opportunity to examine the knife she had been given. It was a rather long knife, too long and too odd a shape to be of much cooking use.

"About this knife," she asked casually, "is it for..." The gnome turned to her and made a gesture for her to be silent with a stern look in his eyes. Alice did take some offence at this, but said nothing more. Soon enough they were out of the tunnels and back into the village. The old gnome pointed to the ground to show her some railway tracks and made the motion to follow them. Following the old tracks for about ten minutes, eventually reaching an entrance to what appeared to be a loading dock. The old gnome stopped and motioned her to come closer. She did and he whispered into her ear:

"This is as far as I can go with you. Follow the tracks and they will lead you to the Card Compound. As soon as you get the key, go in there; I'll wait for you there." he said pointing to a door in the village. He turned to walk away, but Alice grabbed his arm.

"Why can't you go with me? I don't even know what the key or the compound looks like."

"You'll know when you see it. I have to prepare things for our journey, but you must hurry. I'm certain that they know of your presence and very soon the queen will know, and your life will always be in danger." The gnome walked away a couple of feet, then turned back to her.

"One last bit of advice, and the most important one," he said to her, "you should learn to keep your mouth shut, it will get you into trouble." and with that, he left. She scowled at where he had been standing and turned to follow the tracks. She followed the tracks in the old tunnel, uphill all the way, thinking about what she had to do and how. Eventually she reached an old mine cart and beyond it was a wall. She looked up the shaft and couldn't see much. She looked around and saw a lever to operate the lift. She tried to pull out the cart but it wouldn't budge, so she climbed into it and with her knife flipped the switch. As if the old lift didn't want to move, it slowly and loudly lifted the mine cart and her up.

The lift reached the top with a clank and Alice was about to climb out when the lift quickly jarred up again locking into place, knocking her back into the cart. The final jolt of the lift was enough to loosen the cart from its place and it slowly inched its way forward. Alice looked out from the cart and could see that she just couldn't jump out and walk, because there wasn't anywhere for her to walk on. She looked below and could see far down the poisoned river. She looked forward and could see lights ahead and wondered if she should duck or not. She lowered herself into the cart only just enough to be hidden but look out as well. As the cart zoomed around, she could see other gnomes working in the mines, but no guards. She looked forward and looked if she could find a spot to jump out, as the cart was gaining speed. Soon a doorway came into view and she could see sturdy ground where she could safely jump onto, and she had to do it fast for the track ended just beyond that spot. She stood up, risking losing her head at the doorway and readied herself for the jump and when the time came, she leapt and landed in anything but a graceful way.

If anyone had happened upon her right at this time, they would have sworn she was either dead, or severely injured. However, besides from being jarred from her fall, she was fine. The cat, casually appeared near her as she slowly picked herself up, rubbing her right cheek. She looked at the cat as it sat down and continued to stare at her with a smirk.

"Aren't you going to ask if I'm alright?" she finally said as she sat up, now rubbing her skinned elbow.

"If I was," said the cat "I would have already."

"Some friend you are," she said looking away from him, "not even caring if I'm hurt or not. Look," she said pointing to her elbow where specks of blood began to form, "my arm's cut." The cat looked at her arm and said nothing, but she still could hear a scoffing sigh in its breath.

"In the near future, and especially if you're not careful, there will be more of that sort." he said looking at her. She glared at him but said nothing.

"Think of this as nothing more than a learning step," said the cat walking away from her and fading away, "much like when you learned to walk. Don't dwell on it; get up and continue on, or you'll not get very far, or live long for that matter." Alone again, Alice took the liberty to look around and ponder on where would the compound would be. She stood up and dusted herself off and walked toward the edge of where the mine cart had flown off. Looking down, she could clearly see the bubbles of where the cart had settled to the bottom of the small lake, and could only guess on what would eventually become of it. She turned away and decided that since there was only one direction she could safely go, that would be the sensible way to proceed.

For one who was currently being hunted by angry guards, she walked around the halls as if she owned the place. However, half remembering what the gnome and the cat had told her, she decided that it probably would be wise to use more caution. After some time, she came upon a clearing of a large wooden platform connecting to a large building, guarded by two guards.

'This must be the place,' thought Alice, hiding as best as she could, 'now the question is: how do I get inside?' She looked around, hoping to find a window out of sight or another door but it was plain to see that the only way in was past the large door and the guards. She sighed and quietly turned away back toward where she had come from.

"You seem to be turned around," said the quiet voice of the cat, "for you are headed in the wrong direction."

"I know where I'm going," she hissed under her breath, vainly looking for the cat, "it's just I can't get past the guards. I'm sure that they would let me past if I just politely asked." she said with thick sarcasm.

"It's possible," said the cat, who was still not visible, "if you tried...one way."

"No," she said loudly, "I won't do that, not unless..."

"In self-defense," said the cat, whose mouth glistened faintly in the darkness, "then you won't have any problems for that."

"Who's there?!" called out a guard, coming toward her hiding spot. Alice looked up and could see that the cards were coming toward her. She looked toward where the cat's smile was and to her dismay it was gone. She pressed herself tightly against the wall, trying to use the shadows as cover. The cards passed her and stopped about ten feet away from her.

"You're sure you heard something?" said the other guard looking around.

"I'm sure I did," said the other, "it sounded like a girl, that much I'm sure." The cards continued to look around for her while she stayed in the dark. However, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would be seen when they would return to their posts. With shaking hands, she readied her knife in her right hand and as silently as she could, crept closer and closer to one of the cards. As she got closer and closer, her breath quickened and her heart pounded in her chest and head and she felt hot, trying her best to mentally prepare herself on what she was going to do. The closer she got, the more she wanted to stop and just run away, but soon she was close enough to strike. It only lasted for a second, but to her, time seemed to stop as she looked at the back of the card and raised her knife high in the air. Her arms and knees started shaking; her mouth filled with a sour taste. It was time to react, and she shut her eyes tightly and bared her teeth and....nothing. Her mind went blank and she felt a sense of peace. At first, she figured she did nothing, but then she could feel a thump near her feet and her eyes opened wide and where the card had been standing was now empty. She looked down and could see the two halves of the card, cut diagonally; blood pooling around the body parts.

Alice would have reacted to a greater degree to the murder she had just caused but the sound of running made her look up and see the second card rushing up to her. She had not time to think on what to do, (and even if she did, nothing of great use would probably pop up) and she reacted to the card charging toward her by throwing her knife directly at the card. The knife tumbled in the air with the grace of a seasoned knife thrower and impaled itself directly into the cards neck; killing him instantly. The card tumbled forward and came to rest just feet away from Alice. She stood there, numb to what just happened, not half believing it. She looked first to the sliced up card at one side, then looked toward the other where he had fallen where her knife stuck out of it. As she stood there, she could feel herself shake and could feel her shaking breath quicken. She tried to step away from the sight, but it seemed that her legs were stuck in place. She found herself hugging herself with her quivering arms and tried her best to stop thinking on what she had just done. She heard a soft sound and with great effort looked over to her right and could see the cat sitting near the second body with a soft smile and small eyes. She went to say something, anything, but it seemed that nothing would come out ever again. However, the cat seemed to understand her not saying anything for a moment.

"Your knife is necessary but not efficient," finally said the cat very seriously, "always collect what's useful. Reject only your ignorance, and you may survive." She looked at the cat and with great effort, walked over to the card, bent down and picked up the bloody knife and looked at it. As she looked at it, the cat seemed to know what she was thinking and said:

"Keep your knife clean and carry your battles as badges to show your opponents what will soon happen to them." She looked at the cat, not knowing what he meant at the last part, but figured that the only way to clean the knife was to use her apron. She took the apron and the knife and ran both together and soon the knife was gleaming as brightly as ever and her apron now had a large blood stain. She took one last shallow, shaky sigh and turned around, walked up to the door and pushed it open.

Poking her head inside, she saw a curving hallway with no one inside. She cautiously walked inside and quietly walked closely to the wall. She quietly wondered on whether her blindly charging into a possibly well guarded facility was really such a good idea. Eventually she could hear voices ahead talking to each other; she pressed herself closer to the wall and quietly edged herself closer to them. She peeked around the corner and saw at least three guards down the hall. One leaning on the wall looking at the two sitting at a table playing a game of cards. 'Ironic', she thought to herself. She looked around to see if there was anyway she could possibly sneak around, but there wasn't anyplace to hide herself properly. However, she wasn't in too much of a hurry. She was still fairly shaken up from earlier. She looked around to see what would be the best way to approach them, but nothing came to mind. She backed away from the corner and leaned into the wall, closing her eyes and preparing herself. Sighing once more, she peeked once more around the corner; seeing that the two guards at the table arguing over the last game while the third looked on.

She gripped the knife's handle tightly and jogged up to the first card. She was half way across the hall when the card noticed her charging. He quickly reached for his weapon but only managed to raise it half way before he was cut out of the deck. (ha-ha-ha....sorry)

The two guards at the table looked up and saw their companion fall at the hands of the girl that they were told to look out for. One card readied his spear while the other ran toward a hanging rope and pulled on it, sounding the alarm. Alice threw her knife at the approaching card like before, but she did not factor in the fact that now she was disarmed. She looked up at the guard card as he raised his weapon to attack. She ducked down and tried to sidestep the card, but he was quick to change his swing and managed to cut her side. She made a small yelp at that, but kept her wits with her and went after her knife. She pulled it out of the dead card, but only had enough time to use it to block a blow. The card raised his spear again to stab her while she lay on the ground, but she used the pause to roll out of the way and take a swipe at his leg; severing it. The card fell while screaming in pain, but still tried to attack. Alice kneeled near the card after dodging the last attack and started to stab him until he fell silent.

After killing the last card, she stood up and while trying to catch her breath, looked around the table for the key. The key was conveniently on it, as well as the scattered playing cards that the guards were using, however there was a neat stack of another set of cards on the table, much larger that the playing ones. She walked up to the table, only now truly feeling the pain of the gash in her side and while gently holding it with one hand, reached over to the stacked cards and picked them up.

"Fifty-two pickup is a staple of juvenile humor," said the cat appearing behind her, while in the process making her jump, "But when the deck slices and dices, it's no laughing matter." Normally she would have asked what he had meant by that, but shook her head and sat in the empty chair and after setting the cards back down, held her forehead in her hand with her arm propped on the table. The cat looked at her, shifting his weight a little. He looked at the bodies on the ground. Death was not a new sight for him, nor her for that matter, but perhaps the girl was disturbed by the _manner_ that they had died.

"Tell yourself, I've seen worse at Rutledge's. Prevarication, in this instance, may help." The girl said nothing, nor moved. The cat sauntered up to her and with a slight growl in his voice said:

"That guard did not toll that bell for Sunday mass, now is not the time to reflect. Now is the time to withdrawal." She looked at the cat; gathering what little nerve she had left, she grabbed the cards and the key without really looking at it and put both in her apron pockets. She looked up and could see another door at the top of some stairs. Hoping that it didn't lead to more cards, she ran up the stairs and ran thru the door. She ran thru the halls of the compound, almost not caring if someone would hear or see her. Eventually she came to a door that lead back outside and in the village. She looked around to see if she recognized anything, happily she did, being only about two blocks away from where the gnome told her to meet him. She went to walk to the door, but something imbedded itself into the wall near her face. She fell back and looked from where the thing came from and could see a diamond card pointing his spear at her. This confused her on what he had thrown at her, but then she could see that the projectile came from the spear itself. Trying to force her curiosity aside, she scrambled to the door; catching more cards charging her out of the corner of her eyes. She opened the door and ran inside closing it behind her and out of blind desperation, grabbed the key and tried to see if it would lock the door.

Much to her delight, it did and she started to run up some stairs when she could hear the cards trying to break down the door. She reached the top of the stairs and opened another door to find herself on what appeared to be a large wooden balcony and at the end of it was an odd sight. The old gnome was sitting on what looked like a makeshift airship. She had seen in the papers that Paul would always read. He would go around to everyone saying that soon people would fly in the airships. The gnomes' airship however, was a humble, if not homely in appearance, with the gnome near the back holding onto ropes that she assumed would steer the thing. In front of the gnome was a large basket, and what she assumed she would be riding in. She turned to the door and used the key again to lock the door behind her to block the cards further.

"You have the key," said the gnome, "very resourceful. Rabbit's confidence is not misplaced. He is no fool."

"I certainly hope he is not." she said getting in the basket and sitting down. The cards were in the process of breaking down the door, but by the time they opened it, the gnome and the girl were far out of reach. All were silent, for they knew that their lives had ended, for the queen would not take well to this loss at all.

* * *

**Sooo....I'm sure that you all want to know why I haven't updated in like...forever! Almost a YEAR!!! Well, here's what happened:**

**So there I was, mild-mannerly sitting at my desk, working on this opus of a story when suddenly the ninja-pirates attacked! Unbeknownst to the ninja-pirates, I was found and raised by Buddhist ****monks in the Himalayas who practiced jujitsu. I fought them off with little effort, but then the fiends whipped out ninja throwing kittens and hurled them at me and their little claws stuck in. Soon I was smothered in the little things and I was captured. For months I was held hostage in a bamboo bird cage forced to watch Uwe Boll movies. All seemed lost until Adam West and Burt Ward and Felix the cat attacked and came to my rescue! With their aid, we soon made our way deep within the bowels of my nemesis's lair who was...Donald Trumps Hair. Donald Trumps Hair had been building a device that would allow it to make everyone's hair look like it, but we weren't going to let that happen. The battle was long and hard, but we made the hair retreat to lick its wounds; making the world once again a safe place.**

**....**

**You don't believe me...do you?**

**Ok, I've been fairly busy because:**

**1) Working hard at my classes and work.**

**2) My grandmother fell and broke her leg, and I had to help out with that.**

**3) I got laid-off! NO! I'M A STATISTIC! D:**

**4) I have been working on my animation and getting ready to possibly work ON A MOVIE LATER ON! WEEE, I'M SO EXCITED! I'll find out either at the end of this month or the start of next on whether I do or not, so cross your fingers!**

**5) ...I really hated this and the last chapter. Seriously, I had the hardest time writing them, and I do apologize for the suckatude grammar and spelling, I was really sick and wrote it at 4:00 a.m because I couldn't sleep. But know that these chapters are behind me, I can now get going again!**

**I want to thank all of my new readers and my old ones that have patiently waited for me and stuck around. Read and Review if you wish!**


	30. Unlocking Doors

**Chapter 28: Unlocking doors**

For the longest time, the two travelers remained silent. Alice sitting in the basket, leaning against the side of it; one hand gently holding the wound in her side wile the other limp on her lap. She wasn't taking in the view of the flight, rather reflecting on what happened only an hour ago. She thought about all that had happened and how she felt about being a murderer and all. She wondered if how she felt now was how all killers felt, and hoped she didn't get use to it. She decided to break the silence and looking back to the gnome she asked him:

"Will the cards follow us in their own airship?"

"No, they do not have their own," said the gnome, "but we still have to keep an eye out for them. They can pop out of nowhere at anytime."

Alice finally looked around and noticed that she couldn't see much more than darkness and stalagmites...or were they stalactites, she really couldn't remember right.

"Use the key to free my clan from the oppressive burden they carry," said the gnome, "Any fight against the Queen's tyranny is a good fight. They've suffered..."

"I'm sure I'm very sorry for them sir. Really, I am," she said with underlining annoyance, "but what about me getting small?" The gnome seemed offended by her response for he fell silent and nothing was said between the two for some time.

"So where are we going anyway?" Asked Alice.

"Somewhere that will lead you to where you need to go to. There's a Skool, inside the Fortress, where you'll find certain items for creating a concoction that will make you small."

"School?"

"That's what I said, skool. S-K-O-O-L." he said spelling it out for her, but she didn't bother correcting his poor grammar.

"What items exactly?"

"Items. Items, girl. You'll know them when you see them. Speaking of seeing things..." said the gnome pointing ahead. Alice looked to where he was pointing at and there was a large cave pillar in front of them and in the pillar was a small platform and a door. Alice questioned why anyone would put a door there, she just couldn't see a purpose for it. The gnome stopped the ship near the platform and Alice stepped out of the basket. She looked at the gnome, expecting him to follow her, but he started to move away from her.

"Wait, are you not coming with me?" she asked him.

"I will see you at the skool," he said to her turning the ship, "but for now, you must do your end of the bargain before I do mine." And the gnome floated away in his air ship. After finding herself alone on a wooden platform in the middle of nowhere she huffed to herself.

"Selfish creature, wanting his problems solved first does he? Well then, not much else to do 'round here..." she said turning toward the door.

The door itself wasn't all that much to look at, it was just a standard door one would find at any front door of any house. The door looked like an older one as the paint on the door looked weathered and was peeling off, exposing the old wood. Alice tried the door handle but it was locked tight. She thought for a moment and wondered if the key she had would work on it. She pulled it out of her pocket and tried it in the door. The lock felt stuck and rusted, but with a little force she managed to turn it. She went to open the door but again the door refused to open. She pulled harder on it and with the third tug it finally gave in and opened slightly. She pulled the door open as far as needed for her to squeeze past as the door was stiff. She went past the door and did her best to close it behind her. After that, she turned around and had a good look at her surroundings.

There wasn't much light in the new area, there were some lit lamps but they looked like that at any moment they would go out. She walked around and as her eyes adjusted she could see roots growing out of the ceiling and walls and in spots were large clumps of dirt and leaves. The air smelled of musty earth and rotting plant life. She looked closer at the walls and as her eyes completely adjusted, noticed that there were more doors just like the one she had just come through. She then imminently knew where she was. She was in the hallway she had first encountered oh so many years ago. She looked around herself again felt a little sad on how the hallway looked now. True the hallway wasn't all that much to look at before, but it looked as if it was taken care of, but now it was more than obviously abandoned. She walked down the hallway, not really knowing where to go. There were so many doors to chose from and she didn't know which one was the right one. Some she could tell just by looking at them would be impossible to even attempt. Some doors were nailed shut from the other side as she could see the nails jutting out of them, others were just gone and only door frame was left with the wall in the doors place. Every now and again when she opened the doors their would be dirt or a brick wall blocking the way but every time she tried the door, it was locked.

Eventually she became frustrated. Every door she tried was blocked. She stood and thought about it for a moment and had an idea. She jogged down the hallway for about five minutes when she spotted what she wanted to see. On the wall was an old curtain that was half rotted away and askew. She moved the curtain and there just as it should be was that tiny little door that was her goal to pass through a long time ago. She kneeled down and tried the door and to her amazement it was unlocked but as soon as she opened it the entire doorway was blocked off by a pulsating red thing. Alice looked at it and out of morbid curiosity she reached out and touched it. The red thing shuddered at her touch and felt warm; she could even feel a heart beat.

She pulled her hand back and looked at her hand making sure that there wasn't anything on it from the red thing and then closed the door. She stood up and now that her idea was spent she didn't know what to do. She heard a polite noise behind her and she turned around to see the cat again.

"I'm not sure where to go," she told the cat, "he told me to help his clan but he was a bit vague... but whether by design, or from ignorance or out of fear, I don't know." The cat nodded in agreement.

"Inside the wall is not inside the Fortress. The old Gnome was short on details."

"We're not in a wall," said Alice, "we're in a hallway." But the cat ignored her and faded away. Alice sighed.

"No help at all!" she said about the cat. So Alice stuck to the original plan and continued to open any door she could and eventually she found one that wasn't blocked off. It was dark on the other side and didn't know if it was the way she needed to go but by now she was too frustrated to care. She entered the door and closed it behind her. She quietly walked around looking at the dingy cement walls and eventually she could hear something. She pressed herself to the wall and looked around a corner and could see some more cards walking away from her talking to themselves. She thought about what she should do and decided to follow them to see where they were going. She didn't listen to what they were talking about, she was more intent on not getting caught. Eventually they entered a large metal door. Alice sneaked up to the door and opened it slightly to look in. Inside it looked like it was a horses stable crossed with a prison cell block.. The guards were walking around and jabbing inside the cells and making jokes at some unseen persons. While doing this, Alice looked around and found a hiding spot to sneak to and did so. She waited for the cards to leave and as soon as they did, she stepped out and had a look around.

She looked inside the cells and saw that inside each were gnomes; far to many in each one to be comfortable for anyone. The gnomes hardly acknowledged her, more concerned about their own troubles than her. She tried talking to some of them, but still they ignored her. She was about to leave when someone called out to her.

"Hold on girl, come over here!" She turned and could see a middle aged gnome waving her down. She walked over to the gnome.

"How did you get here girl?"

"My name is Alice sir," she said politely, "and..."

"Ah forget it," sighed the gnome, "it don't matter much no how. What do is how you got through the doors."

"What do you mean by that?"

"All doorways are locked now a days," said the gnome scratching himself, "only the key will open 'em."

"That door," Alice pointed to the cell block door, "was unlocked by the guards." The gnome sighed and rubbed his forehead in aggravation.

"Never mind," said the gnome, "do you have the key or what?" Alice didn't like his growing attitude, but pulled out the key from her pocket and showed him.

"Then what are you doin' standin' around like a ninny," said the gnome, "hurry up and open up this cell!" Alice decided that she didn't like this gnome, she put the key back into her pocket and folded her arms.

"Why should I, you haven't been all that polite to me. Besides, I have to find the old gnome's clan and set them free to hold up my end of a bargain." The gnome started to jump up and down in excitement while pointing to her and to herself and then to himself.

"Yes! Yes! That's us! That's me! I was his right-hand gnome I was!" Alice sighed

"Fine. I'll let you out and my end of..."

Don't be stupid girl," said the gnome shifting his mood again, "if you set all of us free, we'll all be killed by the guards." Alice could feel her face go red.

"But you just said..."

"Shut up and listen to me," said the gnome, "you must clear the prison of all cards and the warden first. Only then will it be safe let us out."

"But you wanted..."

"Hurry and go," said the gnome turning away from her, "we don't have all day!" Alice was really tempted to just leave him and the others, who apparently didn't care on much of anything, but she didn't want to go back on her word.

"How do I find the warden?"

"Use your eyes." said the gnome. That last bit of rudeness was all she could stand of him and she turned around and left them. She really didn't want to help that rude one, but the others looked as if they could use her help. She looked around and wondered where she should go, she had never been in a prison before and she didn't know where the warden would be.

"I wish I had a plan on where I need to go and how to do it," she said quietly to herself, "I'm not entirely sure where to begin." She saw the cat appear out of the corner of her eye and wasn't at all surprised at his sudden entrance.

"What is sought is most often found... if it is truly sought." said the cat.

"How does that help me in any way," said Alice to the cat, "all the creatures here demand that I help them, but in turn they hardly do anything for me!" The cat shrugged as much as a cat could do and gave the girl a snide smile and a impish glimmer in his eyes.

"Perhaps they are, in a way." Alice sighed and decided that since the cat wasn't going to leave immediately this time she should ask it something else.

"Alright then cat," she said, seeing if she could word her way to an answer, "how would you go about finding the one in charge of this place." The cat smirked again and decided to give her one last bit of advice.

"Those in power often separate themselves from those whom they control, and paranoid ones separate themselves even further." Alice looked at the cat and tried to think of what he had meant by it.

"So what you're telling me is that the warden is far away from where I am now." The cat made no movement or sound to indicate anything, just smiled at her. She looked around and decided to go down a corridor, then turned to the cat and asked:

"Will you come with me, I'm sure that I could use your help." The cat smiled at her once again and while fading away:

"I've heard self-reliance is a virtue. Now you've heard it." Alice shook her head, all of the creatures wanted her to do all these horrible things but then whenever she needed help, they would leave or change subjects. She continued on and while walking, she decided to treat this situation like when she excaped the asylum, dodge the help and instead of leaving, go for the warden first. However, her plan (as simple as it was) wasn't going to be used because she could hear two guards talking:

"The warden wants us to gather in the lunchroom to hear another 'grand' speech again." said an 8 spades card.

"Again," said the 3 of spades, "all he does is make speeches. Hardly gives us an order."

"That's alright though," said the 8, "gives us more time to play with the prisoners!"

"Yeah," said the 3, the two cards now in Alice's view walking toward her, making her backtrack some way, "hopefully this one wont be too long. All he ever talks about is how he was part of the Queens' entourage and played croquet with her."

"Damn Jacks," said the 8, "always thinking that they are important. This one is the worst however. Always going on and on about nothing." The two guards past her without seeing her, continuing their conversation. Alice decided to follow the two, hoping to find out who the warden was and perhaps could be persuaded with. Following the two turned out to be the right path, but after seeing how many cards there were, going in there with arms swinging would be suicide. Alice hid behind the open door of the lunchroom but poked her head out just enough to have a good view of things. The lunchroom was someplace that Alice would rather think that pigs would refuse to eat in. It was terribly messy with old piles of food rotting away and smelled twice a bad, but couldn't tell if it was the rotting food or the cooking. Alice looked up to where some of the guards were looking at and she could see a confusing arrangement of speaking tubes. Alice had seen speaking tubes in her books in school on ships and knew what they were for, but these ones just ran all over the place and many appeared to serve no purpose.

All the cards were standing around talking to themselves when suddenly a voice squealed out of the largest cone that caused everyone in the room to jump.

"Attention all cards," the high-pitched, snobbish voice rattled out of the speaking tube, causing the cone to vibrate, "I've just received an important order from the queen herself! Obviously she trusts me with this monumental task, and I've vowed to do as she commands!" There was a pause, and everyone looked at each other, wondering if he was going to continue or not. One card finally approached the cone and spoke into it.

"Erm, wh-what are the ord..."

"I'm getting to that!" Shrieked the voice, causing Alice to put her hands over her ears. The card backed away and with the others waited for the continuation. After about two minutes, the voice finally continued, only a little more slurred than before.

"The queen has informed me that, right now," he paused, to make it more dramatic, "that there is an intruder in our land! She must be stopped at all costs! You should know that you are expected to sacrifice your meaningless existence in order to please our _glorious_ leader." The voice said the last part as if he really didn't agree with himself. "If you see the intruder, you are to report directly to me! Failure to do so result in your deaths...like so." Suddenly the seemingly useless speaking tube cones opened up and out poured more of the toxic sludge that polluted the mines' river over half of the cards. The ones that weren't immediately covered jumped out of the way; onto tables and chairs. The ones covered in the slop started to slowly melt and they writhed and thrashed around. Alice dashed out of the room, stepping over any puddles, not all to worried about anyone seeing her, since they were preoccupied at the moment. As she ran down the hall, she could hear the manic cackling laughter of the voice; laughing as if he had told a grand joke.

"For those who are left, go back to your posts...lunch today...has been...(snickers)...canceled!" and again he laughed only harder. Alice decided that perhaps that the warden wouldn't be one to be persuaded with.

After running away from the grizzly sight, Alice thought about the cat had said. The warden was obviously cruel to his workers, and was probably in a area where they couldn't get easy access to. Now if she put herself in the wardens place, she would be up high, where she could see everyone and everything. She looked around, hoping to find a ladder or some stairs. Eventually she did find some stairs and went up. As she reached the top of the stairs, she carefully looked around hoping not to run into anyone, but after awhile, she became more at ease since there wasn't hardly anyone there. In fact, the higher she went up levels, the less and less there were card guards.

"But then again," she said aloud to herself, "I'm sure I know why that is." Eventually she came to a door that was very fancy compared to the others. Gold-leafed etchings and carved figures into the door with jewels for eyes. What ruined the door was all the locks added after it was made. She approached the door and tried it, of course it was locked so she used the skeleton key on all of the locks as quietly as she could. However, trying the door again, the door was still locked by five chain locks. Alice looked at the chains, wondering how to get past them without being to loud. Eventually she just pulled out her knife and started to hack at the chains. The chains were thin and didn't take much force to cut, but it was fairly loud, so Alice was extremely cautious. Inside the room was full of grand objects, ones that would easily be found in palaces. However, the room was dirty and there was a smell in the air that reminded her of the asylums' solitary confinement rooms. Alice looked around and eventually saw several speaking tube cones. She walked up to the panel and looked at it, seeing each one was labeled to a different part of the prison. What caught her attention was next to each cone was a switch. They were all facing the same way except the one labeled 'lunchroom'.

"You," called out the snobbish voice behind her, causing her to jump and turn around, "What are you doing here?" It took her a moment to recognize the person in front of her, and once she did made her quite surprised. It was the Knave, who long ago was standing trial for such a stupid thing. The Knave looked worse for ware, oh sure his clothes were of the highest quality, but was had a raging case of rhinophyma, puffy eyes and messy hair; she knew where the smell was coming from. She could also see that he was completely drunk; teetering back and forth. She didn't think him as a large threat.

"I'm not sure if you remember me sir," said Alice politely, "but we met at your trial several years ago." The Knave squinted at her, trying to recognize her. It was obvious that he didn't recognize her, but he pretend that he did and lowered his defenses and smiled at her.

"Oh yes, now I remember you," he lied, "what a grand day that was."

"I wouldn't call it that," said Alice, "you were the one on trial."

"Oh, oh yes," said the Knave approaching her as best as he could, "yes, terrible day." he said slapping her arm harshly. Alice didn't want him too close to her, for his breath and body smelled terribly. She rubbed her arm where he slapped her and decided to try to take advantage of his drunken stupor.

"Well, why I'm here sir," she said thinking while talking, "is...is that the queen wants me to take the prisoners to, um, another location." The Knaves face fell.

"What?"

"Yes, for you see," said Alice trying to regain control, "the intruder is coming here; the prisoners are the target. If I escort the prisoners to another one, it will give you a chance to catch her."The Knave thought about it as best as he could, then looked back to her with some doubt.

"Why didn't the queen tell me herself?" Alice didn't really know what to say.

"She uh, well, she was preoccupied at the time and didn't have time to do so." The Knave looked down and then smiled at her.

"Oh, of course...of course." he wobbled around her toward the speaking tubes. Alice couldn't really believe that he was that truly stupid, drunk or not. She still held her knife tightly, getting ready to use it if needed. He turned to her with his hand on the console and smiled pleasantly at her.

"The key for the prison cells are over there." He said to her, pointing over to a corner of the room. Alice looked up to the ceiling and saw another speaking tube cone and it didn't take long for her to understand what he was trying to do. She looked over to the corner and then looked over at him.

"I don't see it, do you think you could get it for me?"

"It's just right there," he said, his real attitude showing through, "just there on the table."

"I'm sorry," she said smiling while shrugging, "I just don't see it," she said honestly, there really wasn't a key, "perhaps if you looked for me?" The Knave looked at her and smiled again.

"It seems we've both underestimated each others intelligence," he said walking away from the console toward her with an air of arrogance, "but let me tell you this girl," he said changing his tone, "you will not get past..." Here Alice just grabbed the card and shoved him into the corner that he tried to shepherd her to, ran up to the control panel and quickly found the switch that his finger was twitching over and switched it. She didn't look back, but she could hear the ooze splash down and the Knave screaming. She tried to block out the screaming and the smell, and eventually the screaming stopped, she flipped the switch off. Her curiosity forced her to turn around and look at where the card was. He was kneeled over with his back facing her, but was still moving and was trying to rub off the ooze off. Then he started to stand up which looked painful to do and then he finally started to moan. He turned around and Alice wished he hadn't. It was much like someone had held a torch to a wax figurine and then stopped after awhile. Blood and ooze and melted skin and muscle was dripping off of him, one eye gone while the other looked as if it was inflating by some unseen force. Alice couldn't look at him anymore, but didn't want him to suffer anymore. However she didn't dare throw her knife at him, that stuff would be too dangerous to retrieve the knife safely. She looked back at him with her hand on the switch and said sadly:

"I'm sorry." and flipped the switch. Again the ooze rained on him again and soon it was too much for the card and he soon died. Alice flipped the switch one last time and turned to face the console. Her nerves were shot; she didn't think she had the nerve to finish off the rest of the cards, but she knew she had to. She looked at the console and looked around and saw which room had the most switches to it. She then grabbed the main cone to talk through all of the cones and tried to steady her voice, hoping the cards were stupid enough to not question a woman's voice.

"Will all cards gather to..." she looked back to the panel, "room 348 please. Then report back when all cards are present." She closed the cone's lid and opened room 348 and waited to see if the cards would do as she asked. Unfortunately it gave her plenty of time to think about what she was going to do. Rubbing her hands and head nervously, she tried to be strong about it, to show no emotion; after all they were trying to kill her to, right?

"We're all here," said a voice from the cone, "what are the orders?"

Alice sighed, closed her eyes, and flipped all the switches on.

* * *

**I have NO good excuse at the length of updates...but here's some anyway:**

**I had to get a new computer because my old one died. I actually lost all previous chapters of this story...sad face. :(**

**I did have this chapter done, but when I lost the computer, I just didn't feel like re-writing it. This story is not dead, it just has a lazy author.**

**Thanks again for all of you watchers and reviewers for sticking this long with me! Here's hoping that the next update won't be in 8 months!**

**SP**


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